A new metagenomics testing method could transform the way doctors diagnose difficult infections by allowing them to search for a wide range of potential causes of illness using a single test.
%20(1).webp "A new metagenomics testing method could transform the way doctors diagnose difficult infections by allowing them to search for a wide range of potential causes of illness using a single test. The technology, being used at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, works by analysing genetic material found in a patient’s sample rather than looking for one specific infection at a time. Sky News was given access to a laboratory where the emerging approach is being used to investigate cases in which the cause of illness may be difficult to identify through conventional testing. Unlike traditional tests that are designed to detect a particular virus, bacterium or other pathogen, metagenomic sequencing takes a broader approach. It can analyse genetic material in a sample and compare the results with large databases to identify organisms that may be responsible for an infection. This could be particularly valuable for patients with serious or unexplained infections, where doctors may have to order several tests before determining what is making someone ill. Researchers say the technology has the potential to detect infections that conventional culture or targeted tests sometimes miss. The approach is already moving beyond research laboratories and into clinical practice. Mayo Clinic Laboratories, for example, describes metagenomic sequencing as an emerging precision-diagnostic tool for serious and potentially life-threatening infections, particularly in patients who are difficult to diagnose. However, the technology is not a universal replacement for existing medical tests. Experts have highlighted challenges including cost, interpretation of results, contamination, regulatory requirements and the need for clinicians to determine whether a detected microorganism is actually responsible for a patient's symptoms. The potential benefit is nevertheless significant. Instead of repeatedly testing for individual pathogens, doctors could potentially obtain a much broader picture from one sample, helping them identify an infection and choose appropriate treatment more quickly.")
The technology, being used at St Thomas’ Hospital in London, works by analysing genetic material found in a patient’s sample rather than looking for one specific infection at a time. Sky News was given access to a laboratory where the emerging approach is being used to investigate cases in which the cause of illness may be difficult to identify through conventional testing.
Unlike traditional tests that are designed to detect a particular virus, bacterium or other pathogen, metagenomic sequencing takes a broader approach. It can analyse genetic material in a sample and compare the results with large databases to identify organisms that may be responsible for an infection.
This could be particularly valuable for patients with serious or unexplained infections, where doctors may have to order several tests before determining what is making someone ill. Researchers say the technology has the potential to detect infections that conventional culture or targeted tests sometimes miss.
The approach is already moving beyond research laboratories and into clinical practice. Mayo Clinic Laboratories, for example, describes metagenomic sequencing as an emerging precision-diagnostic tool for serious and potentially life-threatening infections, particularly in patients who are difficult to diagnose.
However, the technology is not a universal replacement for existing medical tests. Experts have highlighted challenges including cost, interpretation of results, contamination, regulatory requirements and the need for clinicians to determine whether a detected microorganism is actually responsible for a patient's symptoms.
The potential benefit is nevertheless significant. Instead of repeatedly testing for individual pathogens, doctors could potentially obtain a much broader picture from one sample, helping them identify an infection and choose appropriate treatment more quickly.