The Comparison of Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing with Conventional Microbiological Tests for Identification of Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Infectious Diseases

BACKGROUND: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been widely studied, due to its ability of detecting all the microbial genetic information unbiasedly in a sample at one time and not relying on traditional culture. However, the application of mNGS in the diagnosis of clinical pathogens remains challenging. METHODS: From December 2019 to March 2021, 134 specimens including Broncho alveolar lavage fluid (BAFL), blood, sputum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), bile, pleural fluid, pus, were continuously collected in The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, and their retrospective diagnoses were classified into infectious disease (128, 95.5%) and noninfectious disease (6, 4.5%). The pathogen-detection performance of mNGS was compared with conventional microbiological tests (CMT) and culture method. In addition, the antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and evolutionary relationship of common drug-resistant A. baumannii were also analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with CMT and culture methods, mNGS showed higher sensitivity in pathogen detection (74.2% vs 57.8%; P < 0.001 and 66.3% vs 31.7%; P < 0.001, respectively). Importantly, for cases that mNGS-positive only, 18 (35%) cases result in diagnosis modification, and 7 (23%) cases confirmed the clinical diagnosis. In 17 cases that A. baumannii were both detected in mNGS and culture, ade genes were the most frequently detected ARGs (from 13 cases), followed by sul2 and APH(3”)-Ib (both from 12 cases). High consistency was observed among these ARGs and the related phenotype (100% for ade genes, 91.6% for sul2 and APH(3”)-Ib). A. baumannii strains were classified into three groups, and most were well-clustered. It suggested those strains may be the epidemic strains. CONCLUSION: In our study, mNGS had a higher sensitivity than CMT and culture method. And the result of ARGs frequency and cluster analysis of A. baumannii was of great significance to the anti-infective therapy.