ADVANCES IN THE IDENTIFICATION TECHNIQUES FOR PATHOGENIC MICROORGANISMS

Objectives: The research objective was to present the main techniques for identifying pathogenic microorganisms and the application of new technologies for the clinical diagnosis of infectious diseases. Methods: It was made a search for free and recent journals available online in the databases of Pubmed (National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes), Lilacs (Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences), and Scielo (Scientific Electronic Library Online), based on keywords related to the proposed theme. Results: From the researched literature, it was possible to verify that conventional techniques, despite their limitations, are still widely used for the identification and microbial characterization. However, in the last decades, molecular methods have been widely inserted in the laboratory routine seeking to increase the capacity to detect infectious agents with high sensitivity, specificity, speed, and low cost. Among the various techniques, amplification of DNA sequences is highlighted by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene, and other variations of PCR. In addition to these, new technologies have been developed, such as new generation sequencing (NGS) and Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/ionization-time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Conclusion: The development of new technologies that allow rapid, sensitive, reproducible, and low-cost microbial identification, it is of great relevance for clinical microbiology, and consequently, for public health.