Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has the potential to transform infection diagnostics by rapidly identifying pathogens, including rare or hard-to-culture ones. However, its clinical use is hindered by the dominance of human DNA in tissue samples, which can mask microbial DNA. To address this, we evaluated bacterial DNA enrichment methods to improve detection and quantification in infected tissue models. We tested three DNA extraction protocols on pig muscle tissue spiked with a controlled bacterial community:
- No enrichment
- Standard bacterial DNA enrichment kit
- Modified enrichment protocol with alternative tissue solubilization
Key Findings:
- The modified protocol significantly improved bacterial DNA detection by increasing the bacterial-to-host DNA ratio and reducing taxonomic profiling distortions.
- The standard enrichment method favored certain bacterial groups, while the modified protocol provided more accurate and balanced results, especially for frozen samples.
This optimized approach enhances mNGS diagnostic potential, particularly for infections involving hard-to-culture or low-abundance bacteria, paving the way for better clinical outcomes.
For more information, see the published paper.
