Improved Sensitivity for Respiratory Pathogen Detection in Bronchoalveolar Lavage from Lung Transplant…

Cohort studyThe Journal of heart and lung transplantation : the official publication of the International Society for Heart Transplantation· Aug 2026

Improved Sensitivity for Respiratory Pathogen Detection in Bronchoalveolar Lavage from Lung Transplant Recipients Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Aldo Iacono, Craig D Tipton, Jason C Sniffen … Si Pham

Read paper

Transplant & Mechanical SupportCohort studyDiagnosisQ1IF 5.5

Targeted next-generation sequencing detected respiratory pathogens more sensitively than conventional culture in lung transplant recipients.

Improved Sensitivity for Respiratory Pathogen Detection in Bronchoalveolar Lavage from Lung Transplant Recipients Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Aldo Iacono … Si Pham

The Journal of heart and lung transplantation · Aug 2026 · Q1 in Respiratory Medicine

Background

Next-generation sequencing (next-generation sequencing) can improve pathogen detection in pulmonary infections among lung transplant recipients (lung transplant recipients).

Methods

Here, next-generation sequencing was retrospectively compared to conventional cultures (conventional cultures) in parallel bronchoalveolar lavage (bronchoalveolar lavage) specimens from lung transplant recipients.

n = 122 bronchoscopies from 31 LTRs

Results

sequencing caught more infections than culture, missing far fewer cases

CC

50.5%

NGS

74.2%

NGS+CC

77.4%

More results

Positivity rates were compared using sensitivity and specificity relative to a composite reference for infection.

However, next-generation sequencing specificity was lower at 86.2% (95%CI, 66.6%-95.1%) compared to conventional cultures at 100% (95%CI, 100%-100%, p=0.049).

More results

For pathogens detected by conventional cultures, next-generation sequencing had a pooled sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 82.1%, 98.7%, and 98.6%, respectively.

“

Conclusion

In conclusion, adding next-generation sequencing improves microbiologic workups for pulmonary infection in immunocompromised patients after lung transplantation.

Improved Sensitivity for Respiratory Pathogen Detection in Bronchoalveolar Lavage from Lung Transplant Recipients Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Improved Sensitivity for Respiratory Pathogen Detection in Bronchoalveolar Lavage from Lung Transplant Recipients Using Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing.

Related papers