[Bacterial genomics and metagenomics: clinical applications and medical relevance].

New sequencing technologies provide in a short time and at low cost high amount of genomic sequences useful for applications such as: a) development of diagnostic PCRs and/or serological tests; b) detection of virulence factors (virulome) or genes/SNPs associated with resistance to antibiotics (resistome) and c) investigation of transmission and dissemination of bacterial pathogens. Thus, bacterial genomics of medical importance is useful to clinical microbiologists, to infectious diseases specialists as well as to epidemiologists. Determining the microbial composition of a sample by metagenomics is another application of new sequencing technologies, useful to understand the impact of bacteria on various non-infectious diseases such as obesity, asthma, or diabetes. Genomics and metagenomics will likely become a specialized diagnostic analysis.