Published by
Global-Innovation Exchange
Metagenomics for Discovery of Novel Pathogens in Infectious Childhood Illnesses
Karachi, SD, Pakistan
Muhammad Imran Nisar, Furqan Kabir, Fyezah Jehan, and Syed Asad Ali of Aga Khan University in Pakistan employ metagenomic sequencing to identify bacterial and viral infections in newborns and infants. This approach helps in diagnosing infectious diseases that are challenging to detect in low-resource settings, especially novel pathogens, by using advanced next-generation sequencing with IDseq software.
Development & Testing
Last update: October 05, 2023
Challenge
Pakistan has the highest neonatal mortality rate in the world. Almost one-third of neonatal deaths are thought to be caused by infectious diseases, but accurate diagnosis is challenging in low-resource settings. Recent studies confirmed only 28% of suspected infectious cases, given the limitations of conventional microbiological methods.
Description
To overcome diagnostic limitations, the team established a metagenomics approach utilizing next-generation sequencing and IDseq software for identifying infectious pathogens. They will sequence and analyze archived and new specimens from sick newborns and infants over a six-month period in Karachi, Pakistan.
SDGs
