Utilization of Syndromic Vaginitis Diagnostic Testing Reduces 6-Month Follow-Up Outpatient Service Healthcare Costs-A Real-World Data Analysis.

Background/objectives: Vaginitis is a common infection among women of reproductive age. Although various diagnostic methodologies exist, diagnosis without the utilization of available diagnostic tests remains prevalent. This study aimed to assess downstream healthcare utilization and the cost of patients with and without diagnostic testing.

Performance Assessment of a Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of Viruses Causing Respiratory Tract Infections.

Objectives: Following the COVID-19 pandemic, global epidemiological trends demonstrate a return to pre-pandemic levels of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza (Flu) A/B viruses. For the appropriate clinical management of viral infections, reliable and timely diagnosis is crucial. The clinical presentation of these respiratory viral infections shows significant overlaps; thus, the syndromic diagnosis of these infections becomes challenging.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae Outbreak in 2023: Post-pandemic Resurgence of an Atypical Bacterial Pathogen.

The syndromic nature of infections caused by pneumonia-causing pathogens including necessitates detection via multiplex PCR for accurate and timely diagnosis to control the infection spread. In this study, we demonstrate an increase in the detection of  in the outpatient population, during 2023, as compared to the previous two years (2021-2022). In this aggregated survey, respiratory samples collected within the continental United States were tested for the presence of  and other respiratory bacterial and viral pathogens using a multiplex PCR assay.

Expanded PCR Panel Testing for Identification of Respiratory Pathogens and Coinfections in Influenza-like Illness.

While COVID-19 has dominated Influenza-like illness (ILI) over the past few years, there are many other pathogens responsible for ILI. It is not uncommon to have coinfections with multiple pathogens in patients with ILI. The goal of this study was to identify the different organisms in symptomatic patients presenting with ILI using two different high throughput multiplex real time PCR platforms.

SARS-CoV-2 respiratory co-infections: Incidence of viral and bacterial co-pathogens.

The global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in an unprecedented challenge to our healthcare system. Secondary and concurrent bacterial and viral co-infections are well documented for other viral respiratory pathogens; however knowledge regarding co-infections in COVID-19 remains limited. In the present study, concurrent testing of 50 419 individual samples for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 and other bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens was performed between March and August 2020.