Medical appropriateness and economics of nucleic acid amplification testing for infectious diseases.

ABSTRACT

It has become commonplace to assume that nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) represent the gold standard for all infectious disease diagnostic testing. This proposition has become increasingly entrenched recently, as these tests can now be done, in comparison to even just a few years ago, relatively inexpensively and with rapid analytic turnaround times. Many can even be performed at the point of care by individuals without technical backgrounds. But there may be a dark underside to this proposition. Could these tests be too sensitive? Are they always "fit for purpose"? Should they trump clinical judgement? Do they have untoward impacts on antimicrobial therapy? Could the profit motive - by manufacturers and by laboratories - be fueling the explosive expansion of NAATs? In this article, we will explore these questions in regard to several specific NAAT examples - Group A Streptococcus, Influenza, SARS-CoV-2, respiratory panels, and sexually transmitted disease panels.