The value of a multiplexed gastrointestinal pathogen panel in 2 distinct patient populations

Abstract We assess the value of the Luminex xTAG Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel (GPP) in 2 different patient populations: an uninsured, indigent population seeking primary care, and a tertiary care hospital specializing in surgical, transplant, and oncology care. Stool specimens collected April to August 2013 for infectious workup were tested on the GPP, and discordant results were further analyzed by alternative methods. Compared to the tertiary care setting, stool pathogen detection was nearly twice as frequent in the primary care setting (25% versus 14%; P Campylobacter spp. when patients presented late in the disease course. Application of a GPP should consider the characteristics of the patient population to maximize its clinical utility in different healthcare settings.