Fast Genetic Test Identifies Hidden Infections in Sick Children

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Doctors at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital have begun using metagenomic testing, a genetic sequencing method that identifies bacteria, viruses, and fungi from a single sample in one day. Traditional diagnostic approaches require clinicians to predict which pathogen they are searching for before testing begins, often leading to delayed or incorrect treatment decisions. This new approach analyzes all genetic material present in a respiratory sample, enabling doctors to detect infections that standard methods would miss. During a 2024-2025 study, the test influenced treatment decisions in one quarter of 122 critically ill children in the hospital's intensive care unit.