Microbiologic Methods in the Diagnostics of Upper Respiratory Tract Pathogens.

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Diagnostic Testing

Background:

• Upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are common, acute infections affecting the upper airway.
• Identifying specific pathogens is crucial for effective management and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To summarize common URI pathogens.
• To compare the advantages and disadvantages of traditional and rapid microbiological tests for URI pathogen identification.

Main Methods:

• Simultaneous examination of blood samples using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and FilmArray Respiratory Panel.
• Testing performed on nasopharyngeal swabs for eight different pathogens across 15 tests.

Main Results:

• ELISA is low-cost and widely available but requires an immune response for pathogen detection.
• FilmArray is rapid and accurate for a broad spectrum of pathogens but is more expensive.
• Most URIs are viral, and current treatments do not significantly benefit from rapid pathogen identification.

Conclusions:

• The clinical benefit of advanced diagnostics like FilmArray for common viral URIs is limited.
• ELISA remains a cost-effective option for URI diagnostics.
• Rapid diagnostic tests should be reserved for specific clinical indications in URI management.