Abstract

Background: Lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs) are an important public health concern and a leading cause of death from infection worldwide. The current study aims to evaluate the distribution of viral and bacterial pathogens in lower respiratory tract specimens.
Methods: Between April 2022 and December 2022, specimens from lower respiratory tract from patients aged between 37 and 85 years in an intensive care unit (ICU) of Asia University Hospital were analysed by the FilmArrayTM pneumonia panel (PP) assay.
Results: There were 54 patients for whom the FilmArrayTM PP assay was analysed, and 25 (46.3%) of them showed positive results. Among the 54 specimens, 12 (22.2%, 12/54) had a single pathogen, 13 (24.1%, 13/54) had multiple pathogens, and 29 (53.7%, 29/54) had no pathogens. The overall positive rate of the specimens was 46.3% (25/54).
Conclusions: The FilmArrayTM PP assay may act as a feasible diagnostic tool for LRIs in ICUs.

DOI: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2023.230114