Table 3. Characteristics of diagnostic methods for ventilator-associated pneumonia.
| Diagnostic method | Conventional culture time (h) | Pathogen/Biochemical identification time (h) | True antibiotic susceptibility available | Antibiotic susceptibility time (h) | Total diagnostic time (h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional culture method | 24–36 | n/a | Yes | 12–24 | 36–72 |
| BioFire/Luminex | n/a | 2–4 a | No | n/a | 2–4 |
| PNA-FISH | n/a | 2–4 a | No | n/a | 2–4 |
| AXDX ID/AST | n/a | 2–4 a | Yes | 3–6 | 6–10 |
| VOC fingerprints | n/a | 2–4 a | No | n/a | 2–4 |
Abbreviations: FISH, fluorescence in situ hybridization; ID/AST, identification/antibiotic susceptibility testing via automated microscopy; n/a, not applicable; VOC, volatile organic compounds.
a
Assumes direct specimen inoculation from respiratory samples including endotracheal aspirates and bronchoalveolar lavage samples.