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Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Cell-Free DNA Integrity Analysis in Urine Samples
Published on: January 5, 2017
Cell-free DNA: a promising biomarker in infectious diseases
Yuxuan Hu1, Yanping Zhao2, Yan Zhang2
1BGI Research, Shenzhen 518083, China; School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China.
Abstract:
Infectious diseases pose serious threats to public health worldwide. Conventional diagnostic methods for infectious diseases often exhibit low sensitivity, invasiveness, and long turnaround times. User-friendly point-of-care tests are urgently needed for early diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognostic prediction of infectious diseases. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA), a promising non-invasive biomarker widely used in oncology and pregnancy, has shown great potential in clinical applications for diagnosing infectious diseases. Here, we discuss the most recent cfDNA research on infectious diseases from both the pathogen and host perspectives. We also discuss the technical challenges in this field and propose solutions to overcome them. Additionally, we provide an outlook on the potential of cfDNA as a diagnostic, treatment, and prognostic marker for infectious diseases.
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