Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease最新文献

{"title":"Evaluation of a novel viral nucleic acid extraction kit from a variety of clinical specimens","authors":"Wanxian Hong ,&nbsp;Weihua Luo ,&nbsp;Lijia Mao ,&nbsp;Zihuan Lu ,&nbsp;Wenbo Wang ,&nbsp;Xinqiang Zhang ,&nbsp;Yanhui Wu ,&nbsp;Genquan Yin ,&nbsp;Lihong Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117241","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117241","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nucleic acid extraction represents a critical preanalytical step in clinical molecular diagnostics. This study evaluated a novel viral nucleic acid extraction kit (HeSheng) against three commercial kits (Qiagen QIAamp, Daan, and Yocon) using 170 clinical samples across five specimen types. Performance was assessed through plaque-based serial dilution combined with RT-qPCR to determine the limit of detection (LOD), alongside measurements of nucleic acid concentration, OD260/280 ratio, and Ct values. While all kits demonstrated equivalent LODs (10 PFU/mL), the HeSheng kit consistently yielded lower Ct values, indicating enhanced sensitivity. It also produced nucleic acids with superior concentration, purity, and amplification efficiency. Clinical sample RT-qPCR results showed high concordance with diagnoses (sensitivity 98.6%; specificity 97.4%). The protocol combines viral lysis with rapid column-based adsorption and completes extraction within 10 minutes using standard equipment. These findings demonstrate that the HeSheng kit provides a simplified, cost-effective, and broadly applicable method suitable for molecular diagnostics in resource-limited or high-throughput settings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117241"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145854675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A cold-chain free loop-mediated isothermal amplification test for detection of human malaria in point-of-care settings","authors":"Nurul Nabila Rosli ,&nbsp;Yee Ling Lau ,&nbsp;Meng Yee Lai","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117237","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117237","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Malaria diagnosis in low-resource settings demands robust and cold-chain free molecular tests. To overcome infrastructure limitations of conventional loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), we developed a refrigeration-independent assay for <em>Plasmodium knowlesi</em> detection. By using sugar-based enzyme preservation approach, sucrose shows most effectively to maintain <em>Bst</em> DNA polymerase activity during room-temperature storage, outperforming equivalent concentrations of glucose and galactose. The sucrose-preserved LAMP reagent demonstrated consistent performance for 12 days. This optimized assay achieved analytical sensitivity (10 copies/μL) and maintained 100 % specificity against <em>Plasmodium</em> species and human DNA. The chemical preserving method provided a cost-effective alternative to lyophilization, eliminating dependence on specialized equipment while achieving comparable short-term stability. The 12-day room-temperature stability suits typical field deployments, making the assay ideal for malaria surveillance and use in remote clinics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117237"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145854726","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multicenter verification and method comparison of the STANDARD M10 Influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 assay in Amies medium","authors":"Pieter-Jan Briers ,&nbsp;Hanne Valgaeren ,&nbsp;Dagmar Obbels ,&nbsp;Paul-Emile Claus ,&nbsp;Annick Smismans ,&nbsp;Ellen Van Even ,&nbsp;Wim Laffut ,&nbsp;Ann Lemmens ,&nbsp;Truus Goegebuer ,&nbsp;Bea Van den Poel ,&nbsp;Johan Frans","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117230","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117230","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The STANDARD M10 Flu/RSV/SARS-CoV-2 (M10) is an all-in-one RT-PCR assay which can simultaneously differentiate and detect SARS-CoV-2, influenza A (InfA), influenza B (InfB) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This study describes a multicenter verification of the M10 assay and is the first study to report a method comparison performed on nasopharyngeal swabs collected in Amies medium (eSwab, Copan) which isn’t a manufacturer approved medium. The multicenter verification was performed in four Belgian Hospital laboratories. The accuracy was determined on 28 external quality assessment samples. The reproducibility was assessed using a COVFLU control sample. The method comparison was conducted at the Imelda Hospital where 26 positive and 40 negative samples analyzed with the Magpix NxTAG Respiratory pathogen panel + and 14 positive samples analyzed with Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2/Flu/RSV assay were retrospectively analyzed with the M10 assay. Regarding the multicenter verification, the accuracy was 100 % and the M10 assay systematically detected the four pathogens from the COVFLU control. The method comparison yielded positive and negative percent agreements of 100 %, except for InfB the positive percent agreement between the M10 and the Xpert assay was 83.3 %. These results are in line with the results of other studies evaluating the performance of the M10 assay on manufacturers approved media. It is concluded that M10 assay can be used for nasopharyngeal samples collected in Amies medium.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117230"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145786877","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clinical and molecular characterization of a fulminant meningococcemia case in an adult caused by Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y clonal complex 23 strain in China","authors":"Yueshan Liang ,&nbsp;Liangcai Xu ,&nbsp;Song Liu ,&nbsp;Zheng Liang ,&nbsp;Biyu Lin ,&nbsp;Jiaqi Ye ,&nbsp;Shuping Nie","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117242","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117242","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><em>Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y</em> (NmY), first reported in China in 2015, remains rare, with only a few cases reported to date. Previously documented NmY invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) cases in China predominantly occurred among adolescents or children. This study reports the first confirmed adult IMD case caused by NmY in China.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A 22-year-old male in Guangdong Province presented with IMD symptoms. The causative agent (NmY20231109) was isolated from blood culture. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted for molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis against global NmY strains.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The isolate (NmY20231109) was susceptible to most tested antibiotics but resistant to sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim. WGS identified the strain as Y: P1.5-1,10-1: F4-1: ST-1655 (CC23). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that NmY20231109 clustered closely with ST-1655 strains from the UK and Germany. It showed genetic distance from the four ST-1655 strains previously reported in China. Virulence gene profiling identified 52 associated genes, including key factors such as fHbp and porB.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This report describes the first adult IMD case caused by NmY in China. The identification of NmY20231109 as ST-1655 (CC23), closely related to European strains, suggests a potential imported origin and highlights the ongoing risk of NmY transmission in China.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117242"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145880493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Multi-centre clinical validation of the NeuMoDx HPV assay for ASC-US / LSIL triage","authors":"Taeyang Chin ,&nbsp;Anja Oštrbenk ,&nbsp;Nick Verhavert ,&nbsp;Mario Poljak ,&nbsp;Elizaveta Padalko","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117208","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117208","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The NeuMoDx™ HPV assay (QIAGEN, MI, USA) is a PCR assay that detects 15 high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types in cervical samples, with separate identification for HPV16 and HPV18. Although it has been validated for primary HPV-based cervical cancer screening, its performance in the triage of atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) in cytology-based screening algorithms has not yet been evaluated. This multicentre study assessed the clinical performance of the NeuMoDx assay for ASC-US/LSIL triage. A total of 447 residual clinician-collected cervical samples were analysed. At site 1 (Ljubljana, Slovenia), NeuMoDx was compared with the Alinity m HR HPV assay (Abbott Molecular, IL, USA), and at site 2 (Ghent, Belgium), it was compared with the APTIMA HPV assay (HOLOGIC, MA, USA). NeuMoDx demonstrated 91.3% (95% CI: 85.8-94.7%) concordance with Alinity and 96.2% (95% CI: 93.3-97.8%) concordance with APTIMA, with excellent kappa values of 0.824 (95% CI:0.737-0.912) for site 1 and 0.779 (95% CI: 0.653-0.905) for site 2. The relative sensitivity of NeuMoDx for detecting cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+) was 0.91 and 1.08 compared to Alinity and Aptima, respectively. Relative clinical specificity of NeuMoDx was 1.05 compared to Alinity and 1.00 compared to Aptima. In conclusion, the NeuMoDx HPV assay showed reliable clinical performance in triaging ASC-US/LSIL samples.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117208"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145676884","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Three new single nucleotide polymorphisms identified in Plasmodium falciparum isolates from Kogi State, Nigeria","authors":"Onyekachi Nnaemeka Akoma ,&nbsp;Anthony Chibuogwu Ike ,&nbsp;Ebere Emilia Ayogu ,&nbsp;Martina Chinonye Agbo ,&nbsp;Chukwuemeka Cornelius Ezeh ,&nbsp;Felicia Ngozi Okoh ,&nbsp;Solomon Odiba Arome ,&nbsp;Ifeoma Maureen Ezeonu","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117233","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117233","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>High malaria burden remains a remarkable challenge in Nigeria. The high prevalence has been attributed to a number of factors, including the continued evolution of resistance to antimalarial drugs by <em>Plasmodium</em>. However, the actual occurrence of antimalarial drug resistance in the country has not been well-documented. This study was aimed at screening for molecular markers of multidrug resistant <em>Plasmodium</em> species in individuals with parasitaemia in Kogi State, Nigeria.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Blood samples drawn from 600 symptomatic patients who consented to be recruited for the study were tested by Dipstick antigen test (RDT) for malaria. Genomic DNA from 40 samples, confirmed positive for <em>P. falciparum</em> by the rapid diagnostic test and PCR, were screened for the <em>Pfmdr1</em> and <em>Kelch-13</em> genes. Some of the <em>Kelch-13</em> PCR amplicons were randomly selected and sequenced using Sanger method. Thereafter, the sequences were analysed and compared with wild type for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div><em>Pfmdr1</em> and <em>K-13</em> amplicons were successfully obtained from 45 % (18/40) of the malaria-positive blood samples. Bioinformatics analysis of the <em>K-13</em> sequences showed near 100 % sequence homology and percentage similarity of 99.88 % with the wild type <em>Plasmodium falciparum</em> 3D7 (Accession Number XM_001350122) gene. There were however three non-synonymous mutations (K430E, W706C and Q707K) observed in three samples.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>SNP analysis showed none of these mutations has been previously associated with artemisinin resistance. The significance of the study results was discussed in relation to current national malaria elimination and antimalarial resistance strategic plan or policy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117233"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145833423","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of P30 adhesin detected by ultrasensitive ELISA in the clinical diagnosis and management of Mycoplasma pneumoniae","authors":"Po-Kai Chen ,&nbsp;Kan-Hsuan Lin ,&nbsp;Guan-Ming Ke ,&nbsp;Shun-Cheng Yang ,&nbsp;Chao-Jen Lin ,&nbsp;Cheng-Han Lee ,&nbsp;Rei-Cheng Yang ,&nbsp;Chien-Sheng Hsu ,&nbsp;Tsung-Ying Yang ,&nbsp;Mitsumasa Hasunuma ,&nbsp;Keita Sudo ,&nbsp;Etsuro Ito ,&nbsp;Jun-Kai Kao","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117192","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117192","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><em>Mycoplasma pneumoniae</em> (MP) is a common cause of pediatric respiratory infections, but its diagnosis remains challenging due to nonspecific clinical features and the limitations of conventional laboratory tests.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We evaluated the diagnostic and clinical utility of P30 detection using the ultrasensitive TN-cyclon™ assay in 67 hospitalized children with respiratory tract infections. Diagnostic accuracy was compared with bacterial culture, respiratory PCR, and serum IgM testing. Associations between P30 levels and clinical course, laboratory findings, co-infection status, radiographic severity, and macrolide resistance were also analyzed.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>P30 TN-cyclon™ showed strong diagnostic performance (sensitivity 83.33 %, specificity 92.31 %), outperforming serum IgM (sensitivity 48.08 %) while remaining slightly less sensitive than PCR (sensitivity 93.94 %) but comparable in overall diagnostic performance. ROC analysis yielded an AUC of 0.892, with an optimal cutoff of 0.4 pg/mL for MP infection. Patients with co-infections had lower mean P30 levels than those with mono-infection, though not statistically significant. P30 concentrations were not associated with radiographic severity. In macrolide-resistant cases, higher P30 levels were observed, with ROC analysis identifying 2.45 pg/mL as a potential threshold (AUC = 0.66).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>P30 is a reliable biomarker for the rapid diagnosis of MP, with superior accuracy to serology and practical advantages over PCR in clinical settings. While its predictive value for macrolide resistance is modest, integration with other biomarkers may enhance its clinical utility. TN-cyclon™ offers a promising tool for timely management of MP infections in children.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117192"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145555353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pathogen-specific biomarker profiles in periprosthetic joint infection","authors":"Yessica Zamudio-Cuevas ,&nbsp;Karina Martínez-Flores ,&nbsp;Rafael Franco-Cendejas ,&nbsp;Javier Fernández-Torres","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117191","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117191","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Serum and synovial biomarker levels are affected during periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), but it is unknown how different microorganisms influence these responses. The objective was to analyze serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and white blood cell (WBC) count, and synovial human β-defensin-1 (hBD-1) levels according to the type of microorganism isolated in patients with suspected PJI. In this retrospective observational study, 105 synovial samples were collected during revision arthroplasty, of which 64 were classified as PJI and 41 as aseptic failure (AF) according to MSIS criteria Serum CRP, ESR, WBC and synovial hBD-1 were quantified using standardized methods. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software, and <em>P</em>-values &lt;0.05 were considered significant. Seven bacterial species were identified (<em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus sp, Peptoniphilus assaccharolyticus, Finegoldia magna</em>, and <em>Morganella morganii</em>.) and no polymicrobial infections were detected. Synovial hBD-1 levels were significantly elevated in infections caused by <em>P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. epidermidis</em>, and <em>Enterococcus sp</em> (<em>P</em>&lt;0.00001). Similarly, serum CRP levels were higher in infections due <em>P. aeruginosa</em> and <em>S. epidermidis</em> (<em>P</em>&lt;0.00001), <em>S. aureus</em> (<em>P</em>=0.001), <em>Enterococcus sp</em> and <em>P. asaccharolyticus</em> (<em>P</em>&lt;0.0001), and <em>F. magna</em> (<em>P</em>=0.002). ESR and WBC counts also differed significantly from the AF group. These findings demonstrate that biomarker responses vary by pathogen, suggesting that pathogen-specific biomarker profiles could improve diagnostic accuracy, support early triage, and guide empirical antimicrobial therapy in PJI management. Incorporating these profiles into clinical decision-making may facilitate timely treatment initiation and personalized strategies for patient care. Further multicenter studies are warranted to validate these observations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117191"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145603225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Genomic insights into clinical Teichococcus aerofrigidensis: acquisition of aminoglycoside phosphotransferase resistance genes via Tn6082 transposon","authors":"Andrey Guimarães Sacramento ,&nbsp;João Pedro Rueda Furlan ,&nbsp;Roberto Vivas ,&nbsp;Cleverton Canuto Aragão ,&nbsp;Thais Martins-Gonçalves ,&nbsp;Gregory Batista Melocco ,&nbsp;Fernanda Esposito ,&nbsp;Elizabeth Harummyy Takagi ,&nbsp;Ana Paula Silva de Lemos ,&nbsp;Fabio Parra Sellera ,&nbsp;Nilton Lincopan","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117239","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117239","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A <em>Teichococcus aerofrigidensis</em> (basonym: <em>Roseomonas aerofrigidensis</em>) strain (ICBTA01) was isolated from a case of infective endocarditis in a patient with a complex cardiovascular medical record. Whole-genome sequencing confirmed that ICBTA01 is closely related to <em>T. aerofrigidensis</em>, although current ANI and dDDH thresholds could not be definitively applied due to the absence of type strain genomes; therefore, species-level designation is primarily supported by 16S rRNA identity. Genomic analysis predicted aminoglycoside phosphotransferase resistance genes <em>aph(3″)-Ib</em> and <em>aph(6)-Id</em> within a Tn<em>6082</em> transposon context, supporting horizontal transfer. This case highlights the relevance of genomic approaches for characterization of rare and emerging pathogens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117239"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145836378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploration of molecular diagnosis for HHV-6 encephalitis in immunocompetent individuals: A study combining mNGS and PCR","authors":"Jin Tang ,&nbsp;Zhilei Kang ,&nbsp;Shaoyong Cui ,&nbsp;Haoming Xu ,&nbsp;Hao Ren ,&nbsp;Ping Li ,&nbsp;Jingzhe Han ,&nbsp;Yueli Zou","doi":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.117196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>To evaluate clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of HHV-6 encephalitis in immunocompetent adults, a rare and challenging condition.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In this retrospective, single-centre study, we enrolled six immunocompetent adults (mean age 60.67 ± 15.57 years) diagnosed with HHV-6 encephalitis at Hengshui People’s Hospital between January 2022 and December 2024. Clinical data, laboratory variables, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were systematically collected. CSF samples underwent metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for unbiased pathogen detection. All HHV-6-positive findings were subsequently confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>HHV-6 encephalitis presented with fever, unconsciousness, convulsions, headache, and cognitive dysfunction. CSF analysis showed mild intracranial pressure elevation(median 186.67 mmH₂O, IQR 157.50-217.50mmH₂O), lymphocytic pleocytosis(58.6 ± 31.70 %), and normal or mildly elevated protein(0.234±0.99 g/L) and glucose(median 4.03 mmol/L, IQR 3.42-4.50 mmol/L) levels. MRI revealed high-FLAIR signals in the right temporal lobe in three patients and chronic foci in the frontal lobe and basal ganglia in three others. EEG abnormalities were noted in two patients. mNGS revealed an average of 578±512.09 unique HHV-6 reads, with HHV-6A identified in five patients and HHV-6B in one. All findings were confirmed by quantitative PCR. Prompt ganciclovir therapy led to complete recovery without sequelae in all six cases.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>mNGS enables rapid detection of the rare but treatable HHV-6 meningitis in immunocompetent adults that conventional tests miss, prompting early antiviral therapy and better outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11329,"journal":{"name":"Diagnostic microbiology and infectious disease","volume":"114 3","pages":"Article 117196"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570970","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}