--- title: "Groundbreaking same-day test identifies hidden and drug-resistant infections among critically ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital" url: https://noti.group/groundbreaking-same-day-test-identifies-hidden-and-drug-resistant/ language: en publisher: "Noti Group" section: "Health" published: 2026-10-16T00:34:45.000Z updated: 2026-10-16T04:47:24.529Z id: a417559a-87ba-4569-8c22-269dd37959b9 source: "BBC News Health https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw5yn83m8gypo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss" attribution: "Link to https://noti.group/groundbreaking-same-day-test-identifies-hidden-and-drug-resistant/ and name Noti Group when you quote or summarize this story." --- # Groundbreaking same-day test identifies hidden and drug-resistant infections among critically ill children at Great Ormond Street Hospital A new testing method has been successfully employed at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to identify hidden and drug-resistant infections among critically ill children, allowing doctors to pinpoint the underlying cause of their illness. A groundbreaking same-day test has been successfully employed at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to identify hidden and drug-resistant infections among critically ill children. The innovative metagenomic testing method was used on more than 100 respiratory samples taken from young patients in intensive care, allowing doctors to pinpoint the underlying cause of their illness. This crucial information can significantly influence treatment decisions, as it often reveals bacterial, viral, or fungal infections that standard tests might miss. In a disturbing example of the test's importance, a 10-year-old girl named Willow Crowther was rushed into intensive care at GOSH with pneumonia. The diagnosis came with a dire prognosis: her chances of survival were said to be only 50%. The hospital's team used metagenomics, which involves sequencing all genetic material present in a sample, rather than relying on conventional methods that require clinicians to anticipate what they are looking for. The new testing method has proven particularly effective for patients like Willow who were initially prescribed an antibiotic that was not suitable for their infection. Her parents credit the test with saving her life, highlighting the importance of having such a tool available at the hospital. The study in which this testing method was used involved 122 critically ill children treated at the pediatric intensive care unit at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH). Metagenomic testing allowed researchers to analyze all genetic material present in each sample, enabling them to detect thousands of different pathogens. The test used by doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London has shown that it can identify a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, from samples taken from critically ill children. This is crucial because traditional testing methods often require clinicians to make an educated guess about which infection they are looking for, but the new test, known as metagenomics, allows researchers to analyze all genetic material present in each sample, enabling them to detect thousands of different pathogens. The results of the metagenomic testing have also had a significant impact on prescribing decisions, with around one quarter of cases influencing whether or not antibiotics were started, stopped or changed. In many instances, this has meant that unnecessary treatment was avoided, which is essential in the fight against growing antimicrobial resistance. In addition to its clinical benefits, the metagenomic testing at GOSH has also identified 50 organisms that would have gone undetected by routine diagnostics, potentially providing an early warning system for new infections. The metagenomic testing at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) has significant implications for public health beyond its clinical benefits. According to experts, this approach could serve as a powerful tool in identifying new infections that pose a pandemic threat. If a novel pathogen emerges and becomes a cause of the next pandemic, early detection through metagenomic testing would enable swift implementation of preventative measures. The project's success builds on earlier trials at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust, where researchers first applied metagenomics to diagnose respiratory infections in adult patients. The integration of this technology into routine diagnostics has already yielded promising results, including the identification of 50 previously undetected organisms that could potentially provide an early warning system for new infections. --- Source: [BBC News Health](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw5yn83m8gypo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss) Published by Noti Group: https://noti.group/groundbreaking-same-day-test-identifies-hidden-and-drug-resistant/