Integrating host response and unbiased microbe detection for lower respiratory tract infection diagnosis in critically ill adults

Dr-Katrina-Kalantar-ICCMG4-Geneva-

Integrating host response and unbiased microbe detection for lower respiratory tract infection diagnosis in critically ill adults

Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are the leading cause of infectious disease-related deaths worldwide yet remain challenging to diagnose because of limitations in existing microbiologic tests. In this talk, I will discuss the development of a metagenomic sequencing-based approach that simultaneously interrogates three core elements of acute airway infections: the pathogen, airway microbiome, and host response. In a prospective cohort of critically ill patients with acute respiratory failure, we found that combining pathogen, microbiome, and host gene expression metrics achieved accurate LRTI diagnosis and identified etiologic pathogens in patients with clinically identified infections but otherwise negative testing.