title: Performance of the xTAG® gastrointestinal pathogen panel, a multiplex molecular assay for simultaneous detection of bacterial, viral, and parasitic causes of infectious gastroenteritis.
abstract: The xTAG(®) Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) is a multiplexed molecular test for 15 gastrointestinal pathogens. The sensitivity and specificity of this test were assessed in 901 stool specimens collected from pediatric and adult patients at four clinical sites. A combination of conventional and molecular methods was used as comparator. Sensitivity could be determined for 12 of 15 pathogens and was 94.3% overall. The specificity across all 15 targets was 98.5%. Testing for the pathogen identified was not requested by the physician in 65% of specimens. The simultaneous detection of these 15 pathogens can provide physicians with a more comprehensive assessment of the etiology of diarrheal disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden 2300 RC, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Eric C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Claas
authors.forename: Carey-Ann D
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Burnham
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mazzulli
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Templeton
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Topin
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*