Next-Gen Sequencing

A Precision Diagnostic Tool to Identify Dominant Infection-Causing Microbial Species. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is transforming the field of genomics. Synergy Laboratories is at the forefront with leading researchers.
Next-generation sequencing generates a massive amount of DNA sequencing data from which hundreds of microorganisms can be identified. It can also reveal antibiotic resistance, the key to accurate treatment.
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What's causing my patient's infection?

Infections are caused by pathogens, microorganisms that invade the body. These include bacteria, fungi, and parasites. Pathogens have unique genetic signatures that, in addition to determining their traits, can be used to identify them. Next-generation Sequencing (NGS) technology can be used to identify which pathogens are making a patient sick.

Our High Complexity Genetics Laboratory extracts the DNA of all the microbes within a sample and matches those sequence codes to all 25,000+ known microbial species with extremely high accuracy and sensitivity. Contact us to learn more.

Synergy Laboratories offers rapid turn-around time for Molecular testing. Reporting is completed much faster than with traditional cultures, in most instances within 48 hours. NGS does not require live organisms, special media, or growth conditions.

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48-hour Turnaround | Traditional Culture Labs vs. PCS Testing

  • Traditional culture methods have both high false-negative and false-positive rates.

  • PCR is limited in the number of pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes included in a panel.

  • PCR tests cannot provide an unbiased picture of the polymicrobial community which can negatively impact the optimal treatment.

The Future of Testing Now | Benefits of SEQ360, Next-Gen Sequencing

  • NGS analyzes the whole patient sample and identifies all of the pathogens present.

  • NGS testing captures pathogens other PCR and culture-based tests miss.

  • SEQ360 provides a 48-hour turnaround of results

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The use of clinical criteria alone (culture and sensitivity) has been shown to have an error rate of up to 33%. Additionally, positive culture results do not always indicate a diagnosis of infection. Studies have shown that NGS has allowed for more accurate diagnosis and better treatment outcomes than traditional culture and sensitivity.1

While culture can inexpensively detect aerobic species in a short time span of 12-48 hours, difficult species, growth rates, and organisms in low abundance can easily be missed. Furthermore, anaerobic organisms, which are usually present in polymicrobial infections, are not usually identified in routine cultures. This can delay optimal treatment, especially in patients with complex or chronic infections.

Antibiotic susceptibility testing also has limits in traditional culture as antibiotic resistance genes present in one or more organisms can be horizontally transferred to other organisms. This can limit the successful treatment of the infection if any other species or resistance genes are present.2

Next-generation sequencing thus takes the guess work out of the diagnosis and subsequent treatment of infections by providing a complete 360° picture for the clinician.


1McDonald, M, et al., 2017, ‘A Head-to-Head Comparative Phase II Study of Standard Urine Culture and Sensitivity Versus DNA Next-generation Sequencing Testing for Urinary Tract Infections’, Reviews in Urology, vol. 19, no. 4, pp. 213-220. 2Alexander, Rachel, “The Need for NGS Technology in Infections Disease Diagnostics”, ASCLS Today, vol. 32, no. 4, 2018.
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Pharmacogenetics

Our Gen4Life pharmacogenetic offering includes testing of 16 genes across 24 drug classes and up to 450 drugs, making it one of the most comprehensive available. Furthermore, our genetic tests are powered by Clarity, proprietary software that translates and reports both drug-to-drug and drug-to-gene information and allows the provider to make life-saving drug substitutions in just seconds. This data is populated on an easy-to-read dashboard that also reports the toxicology and Care Continuity Program patient risk data.

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