ARUP Launches Bacterial Gastrointestinal Panels for Rapid Results and Faster Reporting

As temperatures rise, so does the risk of foodborne illness. Warm, humid conditions allow bacteria to multiply more rapidly, increasing the likelihood of contamination in food and water-and thus, the foodborne illnesses that result from ingestion of harmful pathogens or their toxins. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service, foodborne illness affects an estimated 48 million people in the United States each year.

To support faster diagnosis and improved public health reporting, ARUP Laboratories now offers Hologic Panther Fusion System bacterial gastrointestinal (GI) assays, which have received clearance from the FDA. ARUP is the first reference laboratory to offer these assays, which enable simultaneous detection of common enteric bacterial pathogens using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach with a turnaround time of 1-3 days.

Compared with traditional stool culture, which requires 1-5 days, this molecular approach significantly reduces turnaround time.

"Traditionally, stool culture has been used, but it is labor intensive and time consuming," says Salika Shakir, PhD, D(ABMM), medical director of AFB [Acid-Fast Bacilli] and the Molecular Automated Detection Laboratory at ARUP. "It requires multiple types of media, different incubation conditions, and time for organism growth-typically 24 to 72 hours, depending on the pathogen. Multiplex PCR allows us to detect multiple bacteria with minimal hands-on time and no incubation."

By enabling more rapid identification of bacterial pathogens, these panels support earlier diagnosis and more timely, actionable results. Faster results can help clinicians initiate appropriate patient management sooner and, when treatment is indicated, select more targeted antibiotic therapies while avoiding unnecessary antibiotics, in line with antimicrobial stewardship efforts.

Faster detection also has important implications beyond individual patient care. "Timely detection of reportable pathogens allows public health agencies to act more quickly," adds Shakir. "This can support faster identification of potential outbreaks and enable earlier interventions to help limit spread."

At the same time, the assays enable streamlined workflows and reduce manual processing, improving laboratory efficiency and expanding capacity in the event of increased testing demand.

The assays can be ordered individually based on a patient's clinical presentation or incorporated into a reflex testing strategy for broader evaluation. ARUP offers the GI Bacterial Panel by PCR (3020653), which detects several of the most common GI bacterial pathogens:

• Salmonella spp
• Campylobacter spp, including C. coli and C. jejuni
• Shigella spp/enteroinvasive Escherichia coli
• Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), including Stx1 and Stx2 genes

For broader pathogen detection, the GI Expanded Bacterial Panel by PCR (3020658) includes additional organisms such as:

• Plesiomonas shigelloides
• E. coli O157
• Vibrio spp, including V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus, V. cholerae
• Yersinia enterocolitica

A reflex option is also available, the GI Bacterial Panel by PCR With Reflex to GI Expanded Bacterial Panel by PCR (3020663). With this option, the expanded panel will be automatically performed if the initial panel is negative for all targets; this ensures comprehensive evaluation when clinically indicated.

For more information about ARUP's bacterial GI testing options or to discuss how these assays may support your testing needs, complete our Infectious Disease Testing Inquiry Form to have an ARUP representative contact you.

Alice To, [email protected]