BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel enhances detection of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance in lower respiratory tract specimens

Background This study investigated the diagnostic utility of the BioFire FilmArray Pneumonia Panel (PN panel), an automated and multiplexed nucleic acid detection system that rapidly detects 26 pathogens (18 bacteria and eight viruses) and seven antimicrobial resistance markers in a single assay. Methods We analyzed the targets in lower respiratory tract specimens using the PN panel and compared the detection results with those of bacterial culture methods and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Results Of the 57 samples analyzed, the PN panel detected 97 targets (84 bacteria, four viruses, and nine antimicrobial resistance markers). Detection of bacteria and antimicrobial resistance was three times greater than that of the bacterial culture (25 bacteria and two resistant isolates) against the targets available in the panel. The overall positive and negative percent agreements between the PN panel and culture methods for bacterial detection were 100.0% and 92.9%, respectively. Multiple pathogens were detected by the PN panel in 24 samples (42.1%), ranging from two pathogens in 11 samples (19.3%) to six pathogens in one sample (1.8%). The PN panel semiquantitatively detected higher copies (≥ 10 6 copies/mL) of bacterial targets if the bacteria were positive by the culture method. In contrast, the semiquantitative values obtained by the panel varied (10 4 to 10 7 ≤ copies/mL) among bacteria that were negative by the culture method. Conclusions The PN panel enhanced the detection of pathogens and antimicrobial resistance markers in lower respiratory tract specimens.