Current status and challenges of pathogen metagenomic high-throughput sequencing testing implemented in a clinical laboratory affiliated to a hospital / 中华检验医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Pathogen metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) testing is highly sophisticated. Its requirements for laboratory environment, equipment, and technical capabilities of personnel are very high. How to orderly develop, standardize management, and application of mNGS technology in hospitals is a scientific topic that practitioners must treat with caution. In this article, the establishment mode of the mNGS detection system in clinical laboratories, the analytical and clinical validation of the detection system, the risk management (which from biological factors, detection procedures, and the bioinformatics analysis and information transmission), as well as the requirements for pathogen databases, bioinformatics analysis talents, and diagnostic reports, have been professionally considered and discussed. It is expected to provide scientific advice for the completely implementation of mNGS testing in a clinical laboratory affiliated to a hospital, promoting the standardized application and healthy development of this technology in hospitals.