Relationship between molecular pathogen detection and clinical disease in febrile children across Europe: a multicentre, prospective observational study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The PERFORM study aimed to understand causes of febrile childhood illness by comparing molecular pathogen detection with current clinical practice.

Methods

Febrile children and controls were recruited on presentation to hospital in 9 European countries 2016-2020. Each child was assigned a standardized diagnostic category based on retrospective review of local clinical and microbiological data. Subsequently, centralised molecular tests (CMTs) for 19 respiratory and 27 blood pathogens were performed.

Findings

Of 4611 febrile children, 643 (14%) were classified as definite bacterial infection (DB), 491 (11%) as definite viral infection (DV), and 3477 (75%) had uncertain aetiology. 1061 controls without infection were recruited. CMTs detected blood bacteria mor

SUBMITTER: Shah P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10405323 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature