Role of gene sequencing for the diagnosis, tracking and prevention of bacterial infections

Abstract

Gene sequencing is the inevitable future of diagnostic microbiology. Of the various molecular assays available, sequencing is the promising technique for detecting culture-negative infections due to uncultivable bacteria namely culture-negative endocarditis, meningitis, brain abscess, keratitis, urinary tract infections, empyema, septic arthritis and septicaemia. Sequencing also helps to predict full resistance profile of bacteria and its virulence traits. Sequencing is an emerging and powerful technique to perform the epidemiological studies in an outbreak situation. This review focuses on the common applications of sequencing in clinical bacteriology including isolate characterisation, antimicrobial resistance and virulence factor profiling, establishing the source of infections and tracking the disease transmission.