Molecular Diagnostic Advances in Transplant Infectious Diseases

The infectious complications of transplantation can have devastating consequences for patients. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential to good outcomes. This review describes recent advances in pathogen-directed diagnostic testing and discusses the role of new methods for transplant infectious diseases.

Several molecular assays have been introduced into clinical practice in recent years. When the results of rapid testing are linked to patient-specific interventions, improved outcomes can be realized. Syndromic testing along with metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) represents novel approaches to infection diagnosis. However, the optimal use of these tests for transplant patients along with an overall assessment of cost-effectiveness demands further study. Molecular diagnostics are revolutionizing transplant care. Clinicians need to be aware of the current diagnostic landscape and have a working knowledge of the nuances related to test performance, result interpretation, and cost.