China Expert consensus on the application of metagenomic next-generation sequencing for the etiological diagnosis of infections in hematological disorders (2024)

Infections are frequent complications in patients with hematological disorders, and pathogen diagnosis remains challenging. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) is an unbiased high-throughput technology that has been widely applied in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. However, to date, there are no established international guidelines or expert consensuses regarding the use of mNGS to diagnose infections in patients with hematologic disorders. The Anti-Infection Study Group of the Chinese Society of Hematology invited experts in the fields of hematology, microbiology, and mNGS technology to draft an expert consensus focused on clinical indications, sample collection, quality control, and interpretation of results. This consensus will likely contribute to clarifying the medical indications for mNGS testing, optimizing the interpretation of reports, and becoming an inspiration for global practice.