Use of Quantitative Metagenomics Next-Generation Sequencing to Confirm Fever of Unknown Origin and Infectious Disease

Abstract

A body temperature >38.3°C that lasts ≥3 weeks and lacks a clear diagnosis after 1 week of standard hospital examination and treatment is called “fever of unknown origin” (FUO). The main causes of FUO are infections, hematological diseases, autoimmune diseases, and other non-infectious inflammatory diseases. In recent years, quantitative metagenomics next-generation sequencing (Q-mNGS) has been used widely to detect pathogenic microorganisms, especially in the contribution of rare or new (e.g., severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2) pathogens. This review addresses the undetermined cause of fever and its evaluation by Q-mNGS.