329 - Performance of Next Generation Sequencing in Isolating a Pathogen in Pediatric Osteoarticular Infections

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Presenting Author(s)

Nanda Ramchandar

Pediatric Infectious Disease
Naval Medical Center San Diego
San Diego, California
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Co-Author(s)

JB

Jessica Burns

Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery Fellow
University of California San Diego
San Diego, California
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
AP

Andrew Pennock

Associate Professor of Orthopedic Surgery
University of California San Diego
San Diego, California
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
CC

Christopher R. Cannavino

Associate Professor of Pediatrics
University of California at San Diego
San Diego, California
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.
LF

Lauge Farnaes

Assistant Medical Director
Rady Children's Institute for Genomic Medicine
San Diego, California
Disclosure: I do not have any relevant financial / non-financial relationships with any proprietary interests.

Background: Osteoarticular infections are often encountered in the pediatric population. Therapy is guided by isolation of a putative organism, however, operative cultures are often negative. Next generation sequencing (NGS) allows for more sensitive sampling of body compartments generally considered sterile. We sought to evaluate the utility of NGS in comparison to culture in detecting a pathogenic organism in acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in children.

Methods: This was a single-site study to evaluate the utility of NGS in comparison to culture in detecting a pathogenic organism in acute osteomyelitis and septic arthritis in children. Eligible patients were all patients with osteomyelitis or septic arthritis admitted to Rady Children’s Hospital from July 2019 through July 2020. We excluded any patients with bone or joint surgery within 30 days prior to admission. Operative samples were chosen at the surgeon’s discretion (joint aspirate, synovium, or bone) based on operative findings. We compared NGS testing to standard care culture from the same site.

Results: We enrolled 41 subjects. NGS of the operative samples identified a pathogen in 26 (63.4%) patients versus 18 (43.9%) by culture. Operative culture missed the diagnosis in 10 cases, though PCR identified the organism in 6 of those cases (5 were cases in which Kingella kingae was identified). In 4 subjects, NGS identified a putative organism where standard care testing (either PCR or culture) was negative. NGS was falsely positive in 1 subject and falsely negative for one other subject. Sensitivity was 96.3% (CI 95%, 81.0-99.9%) and Specificity was 92.9% (CI 95%, 66.1-99.8) for NGS versus 64.3% (CI 95%, 44.1-81.4) and 84.6% (CI 95%, 54.6-99.9%) for culture respectively.

Conclusion: In this single site prospective study of pediatric osteoarticular infections, we demonstrate improved sensitivity and specificity of NGS testing when compared to standard culture.