Role of Multiplex Molecular Diagnosis for Acute Gastroenteritis

Purpose of Review: To understand the role of multiplex nucleic acid enteric pathogen panels in the diagnosis and care of patients with acute gastroenteritis. Recent Findings: The ability to give a comprehensive result in 1 to 3 hours, depending on the enteric panel, has helped clinicians to administer appropriate medical care promptly. However, the syndromic panels for enteric pathogens have only been available for the past 4–5 years, and it is still not always clear when and how the enteric molecular panels should be incorporated into the management of patients with acute infectious gastroenteritis. Summary: The introduction of platforms that permit testing simultaneously for the most common pathogens responsible for specific infectious entities directly from a single specimen has reformed the way acute gastroenteritis is diagnosed. This novel approach has pros and cons, and clear criteria, algorithms, and guidelines for ordering need to be put in place by each institution to guide clinicians on how to utilize these expensive assays best.