The Application Value of Droplet Digital PCR Technology in the Diagnosis of Bacterial Infections in Febrile Patients
Download PDF

Keywords

Droplet digital PCR
Bacterial infection
Nucleic acid detection
Drug resistance gene

DOI

10.26689/jcnr.v9i12.13418

Submitted : 2025-12-16
Accepted : 2025-12-31
Published : 2026-01-15

Abstract

Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), as the third-generation PCR technology, demonstrates significant advantages in the etiological diagnosis of infectious diseases due to its absolute quantification, ultra-high sensitivity, and multiplex detection capabilities. This article reports a case of a patient with fever of unknown origin, where ddPCR rapidly confirmed a drug-resistant bacterial infection and dynamically monitored treatment efficacy. Combining literature evidence, this paper systematically elaborates on the technical principles, clinical performance, and practical value of ddPCR in febrile patients.

References

Respiratory Disease Branch of the Chinese Medical Association, 2016, Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Chinese Adults (2016 Edition). Chinese Journal of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, 39(4): 253–279.

Li M, Zhao L, Zhu Y, et al., 2023, Clinical Value of Droplet Digital PCR in the Diagnosis and Dynamic Monitoring of Suspected Bacterial Bloodstream Infections. Clinica Chimica Acta; International Journal of Clinical Chemistry, 550: 117566.

Xu W, Song D, Chen D, et al., 2021, Research Progress on Pathogen Detection Technology Based on the Biosensing Principle of CRISPR/Cas. Chinese Journal of Biotechnology, 41(8): 67–74.

Liu J, Yan S, 2021, Next-Generation Pathogen Nucleic Acid Detection Technology Based on the CRISPR-Cas System. International Journal of Biologicals, 44(5): 241–247.

Jiang S, Zhao D, Wang C, et al., 2024, Clinical Evaluation of Droplet Digital PCR in the Early Identification of Suspected Sepsis Patients in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Observational Study. Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, 14: 1358801.

Ning Y, Bai Z, Wang H, 2021, Etiological Examination and Pathogen Spectrum of Adult Pneumonia. Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine, 44(2): 175–178.

Shao Z, Zhu J, Wei Y, et al., 2022, Pathogen Load and Species Monitored by Droplet Digital PCR in Patients with Bloodstream Infections: A Prospective Case Series Study. BMC Infectious Diseases, 22(1): 771.

Qu H, Tan R, 2022, Clinical Application of Prevention and Control Mode for Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infections in the Intensive Care Unit. Chinese Journal of Infection Control, 21(12): 1161–1163.

Hu B, Tao Y, Shao Z, et al., 2021, A Comparison of Blood Pathogen Detection Among Droplet Digital PCR, Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing, and Blood Culture in Critically Ill Patients with Suspected Bloodstream Infections. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12: 641202.

Mei H, Tang Y, Yang H, et al., 2019, Analysis of Clinical Characteristics, Pathogen Distribution, and Risk Factors Affecting Mortality in Elderly Patients with Severe Pneumonia. Practical Preventive Medicine, 26(3): 352–354.

Guan M, Guo W, Liu W, et al., 2019, Clinical Applications and Challenges of Digital PCR. International Journal of Laboratory Medicine, 40(14): 1665–1669 + 1673.