Application value of metagenomic next generation sequencing in the diagnosis of non-tuberculous spinal infection / 中华骨科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the application value of metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) in the diagnosis of spinal infectious diseases except tuberculosis and non-tuberculous mycobacterium infection.Methods:According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the clinical data of 171 patients with suspected non-tuberculous infectious diseases of spine from January 2019 to November 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent puncture biopsy of spine or surgery to obtain tissue specimens, then tissue biopsy were measured, and Foci purulent blood or lavage fluid was obtained for routine bacterial and mNGS. The differences of reporting time, sensitivity (positive rate) and specificity (true negative rate) were compared between the two methods. The pathogenic microorganism spectrum of spinal infection was analyzed. The effects of specimen collection method, preoperative antibiotic use and specimen type on the detection of pathogenic microorganisms were analyzed.Results:According to the diagnostic criteria of non-tuberculous infectious diseases of the spine, there were 136 cases of infection, among which 111 cases had specific pathogenic microorganism. The average reporting time of traditional culture and mNGS were 81.67+15.52 h and 36.33+11.92 h. There were 43 positive cases and 5 false positive cases in traditional culture, the sensitivity was 31.62%, and the specificity was 85.71%; There were 76 positive cases and 19 false positive cases in mNGS, the sensitivity was 55.88%, and the specificity was 45.71%. There were significant statistical differences in the sensitivity, specificity and reporting time for detection of pathogenic microorganisms by mNGS. The top 3 pathogens of non-specific infection were Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus. Eleven patients with non-tuberculous specific infection were confirmed, including 2 positive cases with traditional culture, 11 positive cases with mNGS. A higher detection rate for rare specific infections were expressed in mNGS. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the standard antibiotic use 4 weeks before surgery and specimen acquisition methods had significant effects on the traditional culture results, while the specimen acquisition methods had no statistically significant effects on the mNGS.Conclusion:Metagenomic next generation sequencing has a higher sensitivity to the detection of pathogenic microorganisms in the diagnosis of non-tuberculous spinal infectious diseases, especially for the detection of rare pathogenic microorganisms, which has a high diagnostic value.