Improving Acute Infection Diagnosis Using Host- and Pathogen-Focused Approaches

Hosted by Danaher (Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, Cepheid)

 Session Title

• Optimizing the diagnostic approach to pharyngitis
• Real-world implementation of the MeMed BV test for bacterial vs. viral discrimination

Session Overview

Diagnostic uncertainty in acute infections remains a core challenge in emergency medicine. This symposium examines two complementary diagnostic strategies to help close this gap: pathogen-based testing and host response biomarkers. The first session will review evidence-based approaches to pharyngitis including clinical scoring systems and diagnostic strategies for Group A Strep detection such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The second session introduces new host-response tests to differentiate bacterial from viral infection. Through case-driven discussions, participants will explore practical workflows, stewardship alignment, and clinical impact including time-to-diagnosis, antibiotic optimization, clinical outcomes, and patient disposition.​

Speakers​

Andrew M. Fine, MD, MPH

Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine
Harvard Medical School, Boston Children’s Hospital

Richard Rothman, MD, PhD

Executive Vice Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine