Enteric Pathogens

Acute diarrhea caused by bacterial and viral infection represents a significant worldwide healthcare burden. The World Health Organization estimates that diarrhea causes or is a major contributor to approximately one-quarter of all postneonatal childhood deaths.¹ The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 1.4 episodes of diarrhea occur per person per year in the USA.² Though most cases of diarrhea caused by enteric bacteria and viruses are self-resolving and not life-threatening, some can have serious implications.

Since treatments will vary depending on the identity of the infectious agent, rapid identification of pathogenic bacteria and viruses from a stool sample can be crucial.  Stool culture is the current standard method for diagnosing infections due to enteric pathogens.  Culture is labor-intensive, unpleasant for technicians, and can take as long as 5-7 days to produce definitive results. Evidence has also shown that stool culture is less sensitive than molecular methods, with molecular testing detecting almost 3 times as many infections in the same set of samples.³

The Verigene^® Enteric Pathogens Test utilizes the Verigene System's multiplexing capabilities and automated workflow to deliver a rapid, easy-to-use, robust, cost-effective alternative to stool culture and other enteric pathogen identification methods. 

1. Bryce J, Boschi-Pinto C, Shibuya K, et al. WHO estimates of the causes of death in children. Lancet 2005; 365:1147-1152.
2. Herikstad H, Yang S, Van Gilder TJ, et al. A population-based estimate of the burden of diarrhoeal illness in the United States: FoodNet, 1996-7. Epidemiol Infect 2002; 129:9-17.
3. de Boer R, Ott A, Kesztyus B, Kooistra-Smid A. Improved Detection of Five Major Gastrointestinal Pathogens by Use of a Molecular Screening Approach. J Clin Microbiol 2010;48:4140—46.