METAGENOMIC STUDIES AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES DIAGNOSTICS

Abstract

Principles of mass parallel sequencing, otherwise called next generation sequencing (NGS), appeared at the beginning of2000s and were realized in dozens of NGS platforms. High performance and sequencing speed of NGS platforms opened wide horizons for scientists in the field of genomic studies, including metagenomic, first of all related to studies of structure of various microbiocenoses. Dozens of studies dedicated to studies of microbiome and virome of various biotopes of humans in normal state and pathology by using NGS platforms have appeared, forming novel conceptions on pathogenesis and epidemiology of various infectious diseases. Significant cost reduction of the analysis facilitates expansion of sphere of application for NGS technologies not only in the field of fundamental, but also applied microbiologic studies, including etiologic diagnostics of infectious diseases. Due to the increase of the number of cases of infectious diseases, that do not have a typical clinical presentation, use of metagenomic approach is of particular importance, allowing to carry out detection of a wide spectrum of causative agents of bacterial, viral and parasitic infections. Technologic features of mass parallel sequencing platform, main methods of metagenomic studies and bioinformatics approaches, used for the analysis of data obtained, are presented in the review. Studies on healthy human microbiome and in pathology are described; possibilities and perspectives of metagenomic approach application in diagnostics and system of epidemiologic control of infectious diseases are examined.

Keywords

• mass parallel sequencing technologies
• ngs platforms
• metagenomic studies
• bioinformation analysis
• human microbiome
• infectious diseases diagnostics
• epidemiologic control