Nanopore targeted sequencing in lower respiratory infections: a retrospective study on diagnostic applications, clinical characterization, and antimicrobial guidance

NTS overcomes the technical limitations of traditional methods for fastidious pathogens (e.g., intracellular bacteria, mycobacteria) and mixed infections, providing robust technical support for precision anti-infective therapy and complex infection pathogen tracing. Notably, NTS is particularly suitable for early diagnosis in patients with mild symptoms or intact immune function. Compared with CMTs, NTS's highly efficient and sensitive detection capabilities hold significant practical implications for early infection source isolation, nosocomial outbreak prevention, and optimization of antibacterial drug management strategies.