Bacteriological and Pathological Characteristics of Acute Biliary Infection: A Culture-Based and Metagenomic Analysis
Objective: Acute biliary infection is a common condition associated with surgery and is closely linked to bacterial infection. Bile culture is recommended to identify the etiological agents; however, it is a non-comprehensive approach. Design: To analyze the pathogens comprehensively and analyze their pathological characteristics, we performed conventional culturing and metagenomic analysis. In this study, 140 patients diagnosed with acute cholecystitis or cholangitis were enrolled. DNA reads derived from bacteria and the gallbladder membrane which is existed in the bile were assessed by metagenomic analysis.