Expert review of molecular diagnostics
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Expert Rev. Mol. Diagn. · Jan 2015
Editorial ReviewLyme disease: diagnostic issues and controversies.
The diagnosis of Lyme disease is a controversial topic. Most practitioners and scientists recognize that Lyme disease is associated with certain objective clinical manifestations supported by laboratory evidence of infection with Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (the etiologic agent). There are others, however, who believe that patients with Lyme disease may have a wide variety of entirely nonspecific symptoms without any objective clinical manifestation and that laboratory evidence of infection by B. burgdorferi is not required to support the diagnosis. ⋯ Although those espousing this viewpoint do not believe that a positive laboratory test is required, nevertheless, they often seek out and promote alternative, unapproved testing methods that frequently provide false-positive results to justify their diagnosis. Herein, we provide a brief overview of Lyme disease testing, emphasizing current usage and limitations. We also discuss the use of nonvalidated procedures and the prospects for a reduction in such testing practices in the future.
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Expert Rev. Mol. Diagn. · Jan 2015
ReviewExhaled breath analysis by electronic nose in respiratory diseases.
Breath analysis via electronic nose is a technique oriented around volatile organic compound (VOC) profiling in exhaled breath for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. This approach, when supported by methodologies for VOC identification, has been often referred to as metabolomics or breathomics. Although breath analysis may have a substantial impact on clinical practice, as it may allow early diagnosis and large-scale screening strategies while being noninvasive and inexpensive, some technical and methodological limitations must be solved, together with crucial interpretative issues. By integrating a review of the currently available literature with more speculative arguments about the potential interpretation and application of VOC analysis, the authors aim to provide an overview of the main relevant aspects of this promising field of research.