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Updated: May 9, 2026
10:44
Generating Whole Bacterial Genomes from Clinical Samples using a Target Enrichment Workflow
Published on: August 15, 2025
Future-generation sequencing and clinical microbiology
Benjamin C Kirkup1, Steven Mahlen, George Kallstrom
1Department of Wound Infections, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Room 3A24, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
Clinics in Laboratory Medicine
|August 13, 2013
Summary
Next-generation sequencing is transforming laboratory medicine and clinical practice. Challenges remain in data analysis and interpretation for clinical microbiology labs integrating these powerful nucleic acid sequencing tools.
Area of Science:
- Clinical microbiology
- Laboratory medicine
- Genomic technologies
Background:
- Sequencing technologies are increasingly impacting patient care.
- The clinical microbiology laboratory is a key area for the application of sequencing.
- Massive data sets from sequencing are becoming integrated into clinical practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the benefits and limitations of future sequencing technologies in clinical microbiology.
- To highlight the challenges in data analysis and interpretation.
- To discuss the integration of sequencing into clinical practice.
Main Methods:
- Review of current and emerging sequencing technologies.
- Analysis of data handling and interpretation infrastructure.
- Discussion of educational and analytical needs for clinical laboratories.
Main Results:
- Sequencing offers significant potential benefits for clinical microbiology.
- Current infrastructure struggles to keep pace with sequencing advancements.
- Effective interpretation of massive sequencing data sets is a major limitation.
Conclusions:
- Sequencing technologies promise to revolutionize clinical microbiology.
- Addressing infrastructure and data interpretation challenges is crucial for successful implementation.
- Education and training are essential for leveraging sequencing in patient care.
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