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Updated: May 12, 2026
Multiplex Detection of Bacteria in Complex Clinical and Environmental Samples using Oligonucleotide-coupled Fluorescent Microspheres
Published on: October 23, 2011
Utility of two novel multiplexing assays for the detection of gastrointestinal pathogens - a first experience
Pascal Kahlau1, Monika Malecki, Verena Schildgen
1Institut für Pathologie, Kliniken der Stadt Köln gGmbH, Klinikum der Privaten Universität Witten/Herdecke, Ostmerheimer Str. 200, Cologne, Köln D-51109 Germany.
Background:
Cause for gastroenteritis range from viral, bacterial to parasitic pathogens. Rapid Multiplexing techniques like ProGastro_SSCS and xTAG_GPP can detect broad panels of pathogens simultaneously. We performed a field test with a total number of 347 stool samples from adult hospitalized patients that were tested with the Luminex xTAG GPP assay; of the 157 samples positively tested for at least one pathogen by xTAG GPP a total number of 30 samples was retested with the ProGastro SSCS assay. Assays were compared to standard routine diagnostics.
Findings:
Multiplexing significantly reduced the time to the initial identification of a pathogen. Moreover, multiplexing detected pathogens for which a diagnostic assays was not requested by the physician and thus may be an important tool for avoiding nosocomial outbreaks.
Conclusion:
This first frontline approach with these assays approves their utility compared to conventional microbiological methods.
