P403 Metagenomic sequencing as an effective diagnostic tool for Talaromycosis in HIV-negative patients: A retrospective study

POSTER SESSION 3, SEPTEMBER 23, 2022, 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM: OBJECTIVE: The diagnosis of Talaromyces marneffei (T. marneffei) infection in HIV-negative patients is still challenging. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for T. marneffei infection in non-HIV-infected patients by comparing the diagnostic value of mNGS and traditional microbiological culture on different specimens. METHODS: A total of 57 HIV-negative patients with suspected infectious diseases were enrolled in the study from July 2018 to November 2021. mNGS and culture were performed on all enrolled samples. Data were collected on demographic characteristics, clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, and antifungal results. The diagnostic value of mNGS and conventional microbiological culture was compared. RESULTS: A total of 66 samples from 57 patients were analyzed, 29 were diagnosed with T. marneffei infection and 28 were of non-T. marneffei infected patients. Compared with the final diagnosis, mNGS showed a sensitivity of 97.22%, which was higher than that of conventional culture (61.11%). In addition, mNGS provides greater diversity in sample selection compared to culture. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that mNGS can be considered a promising tool for rapid and accurate pathogenic diagnosis in HIV-negative patients with suspected T. marneffei.