Viral pathogen detection using multiplex gastrointestinal molecular panels: The pros and cons of viral target inclusion.

Diagnosis of gastrointestinal infections has been revolutionized by the development of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) multiplex molecular panels for the detection of viral nucleic acids. In addition to a high degree of accuracy, these panels are commercially available and relatively simple to perform in the clinical laboratory. However, use of these panels must be carefully considered owing to the laboratory costs of the test, limited reimbursement, and potential for overuse. In this review from the Pan American Society for Clinical Virology, we focus on the viral components of GI multiplex panels (GIPs), presenting a brief overview of pathogens included on most panels and a discussion of advantages and challenges of the inclusion of viral targets on GIPs that should be considered before implementation in the clinical laboratory.