Respiratory infections are the second leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, and especially as a consequence of pandemics, molecular diagnosis has acquired a fundamental role in the etiological identification of these infections. However, in the Spanish context, no consensus has been established on the use of molecular techniques for the diagnosis of respiratory infections of viral origin.
In order to advance in the optimization of such diagnosis, Fundació HiTT has coordinated a Delphi process to establish the first consensus in Spain in this field.
The results of this process are collected in the article “Viral respiratory tract infections diagnosis: a Spanish survey and consensus approach”, co-authored by Mireia Sagué and Oriol Solà-Morales, from the Fundació HiTT team, and are presented, starting today, in poster format, at the XXVIII National Congress of the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), which is being held in Malaga until May 24.
The results support the systematic use of molecular testing in symptomatic hospitalized patients and recommend its progressive incorporation at other levels of care. According to the experts who participated in the study, the standardization of diagnostic protocols will contribute to more precise clinical care, a reduction in the inappropriate use of antibiotics and more efficient management of healthcare resources.
Article reference: “Viral respiratory tract infections diagnosis: a Spanish survey and consensus approach”, Diagnostic Microbiology and Infectious Disease, Volume 113, Issue 1, September 2025 >> https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diagmicrobio.2025.116831