Syndromic testing for increasing diagnostic accuracy in gastrointestinal infection

Abstract

Introduction: Diarrhea is a global problem that commonly occurs in cases of gastrointestinal infection. The prevalence of diarrhea in Indonesia was 6.8% according to Riskesdas 2018 data. The conventional diagnosis in cases of gastrointestinal infection is limited in sensitivity and time. This may be overcome by gastrointestinal syndromic testing that can detect a number of pathogens simultaneously in one assay. The aim of this study was to determine the role of the gastrointestinal syndromic testing panel in patients with gastrointestinal infection. Methodology: This retrospective study of stool specimens performed syndromic testing and microbiological cultures at a private hospital in Central Jakarta. Results: Of the 119 specimens with negative culture test results, syndromic gastrointestinal testing found pathogens in 46 specimens (38.7%), of which 32 specimens contained a single pathogen and 14 specimens had > 1 pathogen. The most frequently found pathogens were enteropathogenic E. coli, enteroaggregative E. coli, and C. difficile A/B toxins. Conclusions: Syndromic testing can increase the etiologic diagnosis of gastrointestinal infections in a shorter time period than the conventional methods.