Presentation Information
[INTS5-4]Clinical impact of a multiplex gastrointestinal pathogen panel for rapid diagnosis of infectious enteritis in hospitalized patients
*Tomomi Yajima1, Fumitake Hata1, Hidefumi Nishimori1, Kuniaki Okada1, Chikashi Kihara1, Kiyoteru Kashiwagi1, Keisuke Ohno1, Hideharu Miura1, Takeshi Sawada1, Chikako Iguchi2, Yoshiya Morito2, Kunihiro Takanashi2, Takae Minami2, Kimiko Ikeda2, Sei Kurokawa2, Yusuke Makiguchi2 (1. Department of Surgery, Sapporo Dohto Hospital, Japan, 2. Department of Internal Medicine, Sapporo Dohto Hospital)
Rapid identification of causative pathogens is essential for determining appropriate treatment and infection control in infectious enteritis. Conventional stool culture requires several days to obtain results. Recently, multiplex gastrointestinal pathogen panels (GI pathogen panels) such as the FilmArray GI panel allow simultaneous detection of 22 bacterial, viral, and parasitic enteric pathogens from stool samples within approximately one hour. However, their clinical use in Japan remains limited because the test is not covered by the national health insurance system.
We report two hospitalized patients with infectious enteritis in whom rapid molecular testing using the FilmArray GI panel enabled early etiological diagnosis.
Case 1 was a previously healthy adult presenting with abdominal pain and severe diarrhea. Campylobacter enteritis was suspected based on the clinical course and recent consumption of meat, and azithromycin had been administered before admission. Stool culture and immunochromatographic antigen testing were negative; however, the GI pathogen panel detected Campylobacter, confirming the diagnosis and supporting the antimicrobial treatment strategy.
Case 2 was a previously healthy adult presenting with severe abdominal pain followed by diarrhea. The GI pathogen panel detected norovirus GI/GII while excluding other bacterial and viral pathogens, enabling a definitive diagnosis and prompt infection control measures.
In both cases, results were obtained within approximately one hour after testing. These findings highlight the clinical usefulness of GI pathogen panels for the rapid etiological diagnosis of infectious enteritis. Rapid pathogen identification using a GI pathogen panel may facilitate timely clinical decision-making and appropriate infection control. If covered by the national health insurance system in Japan, it may serve as a point-of-care diagnostic tool in clinical practice.
We report two hospitalized patients with infectious enteritis in whom rapid molecular testing using the FilmArray GI panel enabled early etiological diagnosis.
Case 1 was a previously healthy adult presenting with abdominal pain and severe diarrhea. Campylobacter enteritis was suspected based on the clinical course and recent consumption of meat, and azithromycin had been administered before admission. Stool culture and immunochromatographic antigen testing were negative; however, the GI pathogen panel detected Campylobacter, confirming the diagnosis and supporting the antimicrobial treatment strategy.
Case 2 was a previously healthy adult presenting with severe abdominal pain followed by diarrhea. The GI pathogen panel detected norovirus GI/GII while excluding other bacterial and viral pathogens, enabling a definitive diagnosis and prompt infection control measures.
In both cases, results were obtained within approximately one hour after testing. These findings highlight the clinical usefulness of GI pathogen panels for the rapid etiological diagnosis of infectious enteritis. Rapid pathogen identification using a GI pathogen panel may facilitate timely clinical decision-making and appropriate infection control. If covered by the national health insurance system in Japan, it may serve as a point-of-care diagnostic tool in clinical practice.