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New Test Leverages PCR Technology to Detect Gastrointestinal Bacteria within Two Hours

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 11 Oct 2022

Image: The TaqPath Enteric Bacterial Select Panel is CE marked, For In Vitro Diagnostic Use (Photo courtesy of Pexels)

A new test leverages polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology to detect common gastrointestinal (GI) bacteria and returns results in about two hours with more than 98% sensitivity and specificity.

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Waltham, MA; USA) has launched the TaqPath Enteric Bacterial Select Panel, a CE-IVD marked panel designed to detect common GI bacteria and help enable clinicians to identify the root cause of an infection and administer the most appropriate treatment to their patients more quickly. The panel was validated and registered under IVDD in May 2022. The new test leverages PCR technology to analyze stool samples for a range of common GI bacteria, including Salmonella spp.; Shigella spp./enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC); Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, and Campylobacter upsaliensis. It is able to reliably return results in about two hours with more than 98% sensitivity and specificity. In comparison, culturing samples in a laboratory can take up to two weeks to deliver results. Testing using the TaqPath Enteric Bacterial Select Panel can be done in one test tube, and can be scaled up to fit the needs of the lab by enabling up to 93 samples to be tested in one run. When conducted on Thermo Fisher’s QuantStudio 5 and QuantStudio 5 Dx systems, results from samples are interpreted and generated automatically, helping to save laboratorian’s time so they can focus on other tasks.

“The TaqPath Enteric Bacterial Select Panel’s ability to identify and differentiate between the most common diarrhea-causing pathogens will make testing more accessible and provide laboratorians with more agility when identifying GI bacteria,” said Dr. Manoj Gandhi, senior medical director of Genetic Testing Solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “Detecting these different pathogens in a single test can preserve precious lab resources while still providing clinicians critical information needed to make the right treatment decisions for their patients.”

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