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Antimicrobial chemotherapy for septic patients begins with empirical therapy and can be subsequently revised when the results of microbiological testing become available. In recent years, a number of novel technologies for the microbiological diagnosis of sepsis have been developed that return results in a shorter timeframe compared with conventional diagnostic approaches. These novel technologies aid antimicrobial stewardship when treating septic patients by reducing the time to appropriate antimicrobial chemotherapy. Advantages and limitations of these technologies should be well understood upon their introduction in the diagnostic workflow. Increasingly popular DNA-based technologies primarily focus on the rapid identification of pathogens, but information on antimicrobial susceptibility is lacking or limited to a few clinically relevant resistance markers. Thus, DNA-based molecular techniques can complement conventional technologies but cannot replace them. On the other hand, a novel technology that provides both rapid identification of bacterial pathogens and a rapid phenotypic antibiogram with MIC values, and which starts from positive blood cultures, is a very promising approach for fast diagnosis of sepsis. To fully leverage the advantages offered by novel diagnostic technologies for sepsis requires a careful introduction into the laboratory workflow, following an evaluation by a health technology assessment approach. It may also require some reshaping of the workflow (e.g. to process the positive blood cultures on a 24/7 schedule) and of the laboratory organization (e.g. by creating a laboratory subsection for fast diagnosis of sepsis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there are several US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved/cleared molecular microbiology diagnostics for direct analysis of patient samples, all are single target or panel-based tests. There is no FDA-approved/cleared diagnostic for broad microbial detection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (PCR/ESI-MS), commercialized as the IRIDICA system (Abbott) and formerly PLEX-ID, had been under development for over a decade and had become CE-marked and commercially available in Europe in 2014. Capable of detecting a large number of microorganisms, it was under review at the FDA when, in April 2017, Abbott discontinued it. This turn of events represents not only the loss of a potential diagnostic tool for infectious diseases but may be a harbinger of similar situations with other emerging and expensive microbial diagnostics, especially genomic tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many strategies and technologies are available to improve blood culture (BC)-based diagnostics. The ideal approach to BCs varies between healthcare institutions. Institutions need to examine clinical needs and practices in order to optimize BC-based diagnostics for their site. Before laboratories consider offering rapid matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-ToF MS) or expensive rapid panel-based molecular BC diagnostics, they should optimize preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical processes and procedures surrounding BC systems. Several factors need to be considered, including local resistance rates, antibiotic prescribing patterns, patient- and provider-types, laboratory staffing, and personnel available to liaise with clinicians to optimize antibiotic use. While there is much excitement surrounding new high-technology diagnostics, cost-neutral benefits can be realized by optimizing existing strategies and using available tools in creative ways. Rapid BC diagnostics should be implemented in a manner that optimizes impact. Strategies to optimize these BC diagnostics in individual laboratories are presented here. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]