Metagenomic testing can help stop antimicrobial treatment in 20% of severe respiratory cases
Every year, the World Health Organisations organises World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week to help people, communities and organisations to understand why antimicrobial resistance is a serious and global issue. Their aim is to accelerate efforts to reduce both the emergence, and the spread, of drug resistant infections.
The need to use antibiotics carefully is the responsibility of us all and is an important aspect of our NHS metagenomic testing service for respiratory infections.
In a recent paper published in the Lancet Microbe we showcased how respiratory metagenomics can support smarter antimicrobial use.
In around 20% of cases, a negative metagenomic result, combined with other clinical information, helps clinicians to stop antimicrobial treatment. In 30% of samples, we detected pathogens that were missed by standard-of-care methods such as PCR or traditional culture.
These additional pathogens included:
- Infections not usually tested for (Parvovirus B19)
- Pathogens for which tests were not specifically requested (Mycoplasma)
- Bacteria that are hard to grow in culture (Legionella)
- Pathogens detected even after antibiotics have been taken (Group A Strep)
By identifying infections quickly and accurately, respiratory metagenomics supports our collective fight against antimicrobial resistance by reducing unnecessary antibiotic use and ensuring each patient receives the most targeted treatment possible.
The World Health Organisation says:
“Now more than ever, we need to continue to work together to prevent serious infections through infection prevention and control measures and encouraging the uptake of vaccinations when recommended, while reducing inappropriate antibiotic use.”
The cause of respiratory infections can take up to two to five days to identify, which can lead to a long wait for patients and their families. This often leads to broad-spectrum antibiotics use, adding to the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
Respiratory metagenomics, which provides faster diagnostic testing, is helping to change this. Through accurate and clearer detection of pathogens, clinicians can target treatment earlier to the pathogen of interest.
That helps avoid unnecessary antimicrobial usage, provides more personalised care, and improved antimicrobial stewardship across the NHS.
Find out more by reading the paper here: