1/17/2024 0 Comments 8 pin connector automotive![]() ![]() Current iterations of respiratory panels now also include several bacterial species with similar clinical features (e.g., Bordetella, Mycoplasma, Chlamydia). The earliest such assays targeted common circulating viruses, including: influenza A/B, parainfluenza, rhinovirus, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus and metapneumovirus. Respiratory panels were the first to enter the market with testing performed on nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) specimens. Syndromic testing has assumed a prominent role for several types of infections given by syndromes’ prevalence/severity. At the same time, the popularity of these platforms is undeniable and they promise to remain a common fixture in diagnostic labs. Concomitant financial questions have also emerged, with evolving – in fact, vigorously debated – reimbursement criteria. Admittedly, defining the optimal utilization of these panels is a matter of ongoing reflection across institutions, for instance whether their use should be unrestricted or, rather, limited to particular clinical scenarios and/or specialist services. Multiplex assays have significantly altered the clinical approach for many infections, decreasing the time to a definitive microbiologic diagnosis, with downstream benefits to both individual patient-care and antimicrobial stewardship. These targets can simultaneously encompass viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites, including pathogens for which previous diagnostic options were limited to esoteric reference tests. These platforms have paved the way for ‘syndromic’ testing of infectious diseases, allowing a patient with a given set of signs/symptoms (e.g., cough, diarrhea, headache) to undergo a single test for potential causative agents, whose manifestations can demonstrate notorious overlap with one another. This capability stems from distinct PCR primer/probe sets, combined with detection technologies that can differentially recognize the individual amplicons. Among the most significant recent advances in diagnostic microbiology are multiplex molecular assays, in which numerous pathogens are targeted in parallel within a single clinical specimen. Traditional laboratory techniques for diagnosing infections are now frequently complemented with – and, in some cases, replaced by – molecular tests based on the PCR and other nucleic acid amplification techniques. After providing a brief introduction to multiplex testing, we detail the analytic and diagnostic characteristics of the ePlex platform, with emphasis on the RP panel recent clinical trial data in the USA. The purpose of this review is to summarize the ePlex platform for these diverse audiences. With its Respiratory Pathogen (RP) Panel already widely available – and various other panels in development – the ePlex platform offers new options for clinicians and clinical laboratories. Among the most recent multiplex technologies to enter the market is the ePlex ® platform by GenMark, this manufacturer's second-generation electrochemical detection system for clinical use ( Figure 1). ![]() ![]() In recent years, perhaps nowhere have these advances been more prominent than with multiplex molecular assays, which can simultaneously identify and differentiate nucleic acid sequences from diverse infectious agents. The care of patients with infectious diseases is increasingly facilitated by technology, in particular laboratory testing, as advanced diagnostic tools can facilitate rapid pathogen-identification and targeted medical management.
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