Microbial Cell-Free DNA Test Accurately Identifies Pathogens Causing Pneumonia and Other Lung Infections

Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a commonly used procedure for diagnosing lung infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. However, standard tests often fail to pinpoint the exact pathogen, leading to the need for multiple tests and resulting in treatment delays. A new solution aims to close this diagnostic gap, offering a single, fast, and convenient answer for identifying and managing suspected infectious pneumonia and other lung infections in these patients.

Karius (Redwood City, CA, USA) has introduced Karius Focus | BAL, a microbial cell-free DNA test that aids healthcare providers in accurately identifying the pathogens responsible for pneumonia and other lung infections. By leveraging microbial cell-free DNA technology, this test is designed to quickly pinpoint the cause of lung infections, improving the diagnostic yield compared to standard practices. With only 1 mL of BAL fluid, Karius Focus | BAL can detect and classify over 500 pathogens related to lung infections, delivering results within just one day of receiving the sample.

Image: Karius Focus BAL is designed to quickly identify the etiology of lung infections and improve diagnostic yield over standard of care testing (Photo courtesy of Karius)

Obligate pathogens often present with vague symptoms or are masked by empirical treatments. Traditional diagnostic methods may fail to detect hard-to-identify organisms or fastidious microbes, leading to delays in obtaining a definitive diagnosis. Karius Focus | BAL addresses this issue by revealing these clinically significant pathogens. The microorganisms detected are categorized based on their likelihood of causing the infection. However, as with all microbiological tests, clinical context and additional diagnostic information are necessary for a precise interpretation.

“Lung infections are common and often lethal among immunocompromised patients yet current diagnostic tests fail to identify a specific infectious cause in most cases,” said Dr. Brad Perkins, Chief Medical Officer, Karius. “Karius has demonstrated that our plasma-based test (Karius Spectrum) significantly improves diagnostic yield among immunocompromised patients with pneumonia. We expect the Focus | BAL test to further improve diagnostic yield among immunocompromised patients who undergo bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for suspected pneumonia and other lung infections. The combination of Karius plasma- and BAL-based diagnostic tools, used alone or in combination, should substantially improve care.”

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