Abstract
Objective Impaired gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa and immunosuppressant therapies increase the
risk of secondary infection in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This
study evaluated the detection of pathogens in children with IBD using a gastrointestinal
panel (GP). This is the first study to compare this method with clinical data from
pediatric IBD patients.
Methods Children with newly diagnosed IBD or experiencing disease flares were included. Demographic
data, clinical and laboratory findings, treatments, treatment durations, and disease
activity were analyzed. Stool samples were assessed using multiplex real-time polymerase
chain reaction with QIAstat-Dx GP®. Results were compared between groups.
Results Thirty-five patients with IBD were included in the study. Routine stool analyses
detected rotavirus in one patient and Blastocystis hominis in another, while no microorganisms were identified in stool cultures. GP detected
pathogenic microorganisms in 40% of patients, with a higher prevalence among those
experiencing IBD flares (71.4%). Detected pathogens included Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Campylobacter spp., Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli, Clostridium difficile, and sapovirus. No significant statistical differences were found between positive
and negative GP cases in terms of new/previous diagnosis, disease duration, clinical
and laboratory findings, disease activity, and immunosuppressive treatment.
Conclusion In our study, pathogenic microorganisms that could not be detected by routine clinical
tests in patients with IBD could be detected by the GP. Most positive cases occurred
in previously diagnosed patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy. Due to its
high cost, GPs should be used selectively, and detected pathogens should be carefully
evaluated for clinical relevance.
Keywords
inflammatory bowel disease - gastrointestinal panel - polymerase chain reaction
