Abstract:
Objective To explore the value of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in etiological diagnosis of patients with non-tuberculosis mycobacterium (NTM) infection.
Methods A total of 183 NTM infected patients admitted to the Department of Infectious Diseases of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from September 2018 to December 2019 were selected retrospectively, and a total of 388 samples were collected. The differences in the detection rate of NTM pathogens were analyzed by conventional microbial culture method and mNGS technology and the subgroup analysis of different sample types were performed.
Results There was no significant difference of positive rate between culture method and mNGS (21.9% vs 24.7%). Positive rate of sputum was significantly higher detected by culture method than that by mNGS (56.6% vs 22.9%, P < 0.000 1), whereas for tissue type, positive rate is lower using culture method than that using mNGS (7.8% vs 27.8%, P < 0.000 1). In addition, positive result of mNGS decreased frequency of antimicrobial modulation compared with culture method.
Conclusions mNGS is a promising technique, but the sensitivity of NTM is low, it is necessary to improve this technology to make it better applied in clinic.