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Updated: Jan 31, 2026
Experimental Model to Evaluate Resolution of Pneumonia
Published on: February 17, 2023
Multiplex pneumonia panel for diagnosis of critically ill pneumonia patients in a tertiary care setting: A
Sonya Joy1, Neethu Susan Philip2, Neetha Soma John3
1Department of Microbiology, Rajagiri Hospital, Aluva, Ernakulam, Kerala, India.
Purpose:
Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a major global health concern, causing over 4 million deaths annually, particularly in developing countries. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as microbial culture, are slow, leading to delayed treatment and increased antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This study evaluates the BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus panel, a multiplex PCR-based assay, for detecting bacterial and viral pathogens and AMR genes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens.
Methods:
A method-comparison study was conducted in a tertiary care setting using identified clinical data over one year. BAL specimens were analyzed using the BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus panel and standard culture, and their results and turnaround times were compared.
Results:
Among 303 specimens, the BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus panel detected pathogens in 70.3 % of cases, significantly outperforming standard culture (14.85 %). The most frequently identified bacteria were Pseudomonas aeruginosa (20.08 %), Klebsiella pneumoniae (17.15 %), and Haemophilus influenzae (16.31 %). The most common viruses detected were human rhinovirus/enterovirus (18.81 %) and influenza A (9.24 %). AMR genes were found in 24.09 % of cases, with CTX-M and NDM being the most prevalent. The BIOFIRE panel provided results in 2 h 35 min, compared to 56 h 46 min for standard culture.
Conclusion:
The BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus panel enables rapid and accurate pathogen detection, improving clinical decision-making and supporting antimicrobial stewardship. Despite limitations such as the detection of colonizers or non-viable microorganisms, it is a valuable tool for enhancing ARI diagnostics and guiding targeted therapy.
Insights
The BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus panel rapidly detects bacterial and viral pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes in respiratory infections, significantly outperforming traditional culture methods for faster, targeted treatment.
Area of Science:
- Clinical microbiology
- Molecular diagnostics
- Infectious disease epidemiology
Background:
- Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) cause millions of deaths globally, especially in developing nations.
- Current diagnostic methods like microbial culture are slow, contributing to delayed treatment and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
- Rapid diagnostics are crucial for effective ARI management and antimicrobial stewardship.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the performance of the BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus panel for detecting bacterial and viral pathogens and AMR genes in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) specimens.
- To compare the diagnostic accuracy and turnaround time of the BIOFIRE panel against standard microbial culture.
- To assess the utility of the BIOFIRE panel in improving clinical decision-making for ARIs.
Main Methods:
- A method-comparison study was conducted using 303 de-identified BAL specimens.
- Specimens were analyzed using the BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus multiplex PCR assay and standard microbial culture.
- Results and turnaround times from both methods were compared.
Main Results:
- The BIOFIRE panel detected pathogens in 70.3% of specimens, significantly higher than standard culture (14.85%).
- Common pathogens included Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, human rhinovirus/enterovirus, and influenza A.
- Antimicrobial resistance genes were identified in 24.09% of cases, with CTX-M and NDM prevalent.
- The BIOFIRE panel yielded results in approximately 2.5 hours, compared to over 56 hours for standard culture.
Conclusions:
- The BIOFIRE Pneumonia Plus panel offers rapid and accurate detection of ARI pathogens and AMR genes.
- This molecular assay significantly improves upon traditional culture methods in terms of speed and detection rates.
- The panel is a valuable tool for enhancing ARI diagnostics, guiding targeted therapy, and supporting antimicrobial stewardship programs.
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