Integrated host/microbe metagenomics enables accurate lower respiratory tract infection diagnosis in critically ill children.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUNDLower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) is a leading cause of death in children worldwide. LRTI diagnosis is challenging because noninfectious respiratory illnesses appear clinically similar and because existing microbiologic tests are often falsely negative or detect incidentally carried microbes, resulting in antimicrobial overuse and adverse outcomes. Lower airway metagenomics has the potential to detect host and microbial signatures of LRTI. Whether it can be applied at scale and in a pediatric population to enable improved diagnosis and treatment remains unclear.METHODSWe used tracheal aspirate RNA-Seq to profile host gene expression and respiratory microbiota in 261 children with acute respiratory failure. We developed a gene expression classifier for LRTI by training on p

SUBMITTER: Mick E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10065066 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature