Next Gen Diagnostics and Vanderbilt Utilize Whole Genome Sequencing to Detect NICU Infections

WEST PALM BEACH, FL / ACCESSWIRE / May 21, 2024 / Next Gen Diagnostics (NGD) and Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) today announced groundbreaking findings on infection detection using whole genome sequencing (WGS) in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The study revealed significant bacterial transmission that conventional methods missed, emphasizing the power of WGS in highly monitored environments. These results will be presented at the American Society for Microbiology Conference in Atlanta on June 15.

Dr. Romney Humphries of VUMC stated that WGS of S. aureus isolates led to considerable insights, aiding infection control actions. Dr. David Gaston highlighted the notable transmission patterns, particularly the higher transmission rate of MRSA compared to MSSA, indicating multiple transmission networks rather than single outbreaks.

The study sequenced and analyzed 171 S. aureus samples from 132 patients. The bioinformatic analysis identified that 31.8% of infections were connected by transmission, with MRSA cases showing higher connectivity (46.8%) versus MSSA cases (21.2%). This suggested localized undetected spread rather than ward-wide outbreaks.

Dr. Paul A. Rhodes of NGD expressed privilege in collaborating with VUMC to demonstrate WGS's efficacy in detecting unobserved transmissions, marking a potential shift in infection control practices. VUMC’s Tom Talbot noted that as sequencing costs decrease, WGS could become a standard tool in high-risk hospital wards.