Implementing Metagenomic Next Generation Sequencing for the Management of Lung Infections in a High-Risk Population

Ida Viktoria Kolte of Fiocruz in Brazil will employ metagenomic next generation sequencing (mNGS) for the analysis of sputum and blood samples from Indigenous patients to identify the causes of severe lung infection in the rural Amambai district. Brazil's one million Indigenous people suffer a disproportionate burden of infectious and respiratory diseases. Lung infections are challenging to diagnose because they can be caused by viral, bacterial and fungal pathogens and are often associated with co-infections. They will collect samples from 170 patients aged over 18 years presenting with symptoms of severe lung infection from five locations and subject them to next generation sequencing to identify the microorganisms present. They will also use implementation research to identify any cultural barriers that have restricted current diagnostic and therapeutic practices to help more effectively implement the new metagenomic next generation sequencing technology into clinical practice.