Targeted next-generation sequencing in diagnosing reproductive tract infections: a comparative study.

Area of Science:

• Infectious Diseases
• Molecular Diagnostics
• Gynecology

Background:

• Targeted next-generation sequencing (tNGS) is emerging as a valuable tool in clinical diagnostics for infectious diseases.
• Its application in diagnosing reproductive tract infections (RTIs) requires further clinical validation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical efficacy of tNGS in diagnosing RTIs.
• To compare the diagnostic performance of tNGS against conventional Human Papillomavirus (HPV) testing and microecology assays.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 181 patients with suspected RTIs.
• Vaginal discharge samples were analyzed using tNGS, HPV testing, and microecology analysis.
• Comparative analysis of diagnostic accuracy and concordance was performed.

Main Results:

• tNGS demonstrated broader HPV type coverage and higher sensitivity compared to traditional HPV testing.
• Complete agreement between tNGS and HPV testing was 71%.
• tNGS identified additional pathogens, including Ureaplasma species and Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and excelled in detecting mixed infections. Bacterial vaginosis was associated with a higher prevalence of various pathogens.

Conclusions:

• tNGS is a competitive alternative for HPV detection, offering enhanced sensitivity and broader subtype coverage.
• tNGS effectively identifies mixed infections and complements vaginal microecology assays for comprehensive RTI diagnosis.