title: The value of a multiplexed gastrointestinal pathogen panel in 2 distinct patient populations.
abstract: We assess the value of the Luminex xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) in 2 different patient populations: an uninsured, indigent population seeking primary care, and a tertiary care hospital specializing in surgical, transplant, and oncology care. Stool specimens collected April to August 2013 for infectious workup were tested on the GPP, and discordant results were further analyzed by alternative methods. Compared to the tertiary care setting, stool pathogen detection was nearly twice as frequent in the primary care setting (25% versus 14%; P<0.05) with a broader array of pathogens detected (15 versus 4). Overall, the greatest value of the GPP was in detection of viral causes of gastroenteritis that were not routinely sought and in detection of Campylobacter spp. when patients presented late in the disease course. Application of a GPP should consider the characteristics of the patient population to maximize its clinical utility in different healthcare settings.
authors.affiliation: Keck Medical Center of USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Jonas
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Petterson
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: York
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Los Angeles County Public Health Laboratory, Downey, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: rosemary.she@med.usc.edu.
authors.forename: Rosemary
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: She
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025202:Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bead hybridization array; Campylobacter; Molecular; Stool