Utility and Recommendations for the Use of Multiplex Molecular Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panels

Many molecular gastrointestinal pathogen panels (GIPs) are Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared but it is still unclear how to best utilize these new diagnostic tools. GIPs are highly sensitive and specific, simultaneously detect multiple pathogens in one reaction, and can shorten the overall time of diagnosis for infectious gastroenteritis but are also expensive with relatively poor insurance reimbursement.

In this review, we take a comprehensive approach to discuss issues with utilization of GIPs from a physician perspective, and implementation from a laboratory perspective. The information presented is to assist physicians in deciding on appropriate use of GIPs in diagnostic algorithms for their patients, and to provide information to laboratories that may be considering the addition of these powerful diagnostic assays to their test menu. Some of the important topics discussed are inpatient vs outpatient use, the appropriate panel size and organisms to include, interpretation of results, laboratory validation, and reimbursement.

The information in this review provides clear guidance to both clinicians and laboratories in deciding the best use of GIPs for a specific patient population. While this technology provides many benefits over traditional methods, it can also complicate result interpretation and comes with a high cost, which necessitates the need for use recommendations.