Epidemiology of Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Hospitalized Patients Using Multiplex PCR in Central Greece.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the epidemiology of LRTIs using multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction (mPCR) at the General Hospital of Larissa. METHODS: This retrospective observational study was conducted from January 2021 to June 2024 and included 210 patients with suspected LRTIs. Respiratory specimens, comprising bronchoalveolar lavage and sputum samples, were analyzed using the Biofire Filmarray Pneumonia Panel Plus (BFPP; Biofire, bioMérieux), which detects a wide spectrum of bacterial, viral, and atypical respiratory pathogens. RESULTS: The most frequently detected pathogens were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, predominantly in patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. In contrast, specimens from the Department of Internal Medicine most often yielded Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, and human rhinovirus/enterovirus. Overall, bacterial pathogens were more prevalent than viral pathogens. The use of mPCR enabled the rapid detection of respiratory pathogens and provided critical epidemiological insights into LRTI distribution across hospital departments. CONCLUSIONS: mPCR is a useful adjunctive tool for the detection of respiratory pathogens in patients with LRTIs and may support clinical decision-making if interpreted in the clinical context. The integration of molecular diagnostics into routine clinical practice may improve infection management and surveillance. Further multicenter studies and comparisons with conventional diagnostic methods are warranted to evaluate its impact on antimicrobial stewardship, clinical decision-making, and patient outcomes.