Clinical performance of a syndromic panel for direct identification of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance markers in pediatric osteoarticular and pleural space infections

The identification of the causative agents of osteoarticular and pleural space infections in children is challenging, as routine bacterial cultures often yield no growth. The BIOFIRE Joint Infection Panel is a rapid, multiplex PCR assay that detects a wide range of microorganisms and antimicrobial resistance genes. This study demonstrates that the panel has good agreement with standard of care methods for the detection of common pediatric pathogens and may aid in the rapid diagnosis of osteoarticular and pleural space infections in children. However, it is recommended that the assay be used in conjunction with standard bacterial cultures and results interpreted within the context of the clinical presentation, since false-negative and false-positive results may occur.