title: A review of current and future molecular diagnostic tests for use in the microbiology laboratory.
abstract: Nucleic acid-based diagnostics gradually are replacing or complementing culture-based, biochemical, and immunological assays in routine microbiology laboratories. Similar to conventional tests, the first-generation deoxyribonucleic acid assays determined only a single analyte. Recent improvements in detection technologies have paved the way for the development of multiparameter assays using macroarrays or micro-arrays, while the introduction of closed-tube real-time polymerase chain reaction systems has resulted in the development of rapid microbial diagnostics with a reduced contamination risk. The use of these new molecular technologies is not restricted to detection and identification of microbial pathogens but also can be used for genotyping, allowing one to determine antibiotic resistance or to perform microbial fingerprinting.
authors.affiliation: Microbiology Unit, R&D Diagnostics, INNOGENETICS NV, Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jannes
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Vos
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D015373:Bacterial Typing Techniques; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization / Q000379:methods*; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D009696:Nucleic Acids