Performance of the xTAG® gastrointestinal pathogen panel, a multiplex molecular assay for simultaneous detection of bacterial, viral, and parasitic causes of infectious gastroenteritis

J Microbiol Biotechnol. 2013;23(7):1041-5. doi: 10.4014/jmb.1212.12042.

Abstract

The xTAG(®) Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) is a multiplexed molecular test for 15 gastrointestinal pathogens. The sensitivity and specificity of this test were assessed in 901 stool specimens collected from pediatric and adult patients at four clinical sites. A combination of conventional and molecular methods was used as comparator. Sensitivity could be determined for 12 of 15 pathogens and was 94.3% overall. The specificity across all 15 targets was 98.5%. Testing for the pathogen identified was not requested by the physician in 65% of specimens. The simultaneous detection of these 15 pathogens can provide physicians with a more comprehensive assessment of the etiology of diarrheal disease.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Infections / diagnosis*
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / methods*
  • Feces / microbiology
  • Feces / parasitology
  • Feces / virology
  • Gastroenteritis / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Diagnostic Techniques / methods*
  • Parasitic Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Virus Diseases / diagnosis*