Enhancing enteric pathogen detection: implementation and impact of multiplex PCR for improved diagnosis and surveillance

Abstract

Syndromic surveillance of acute gastroenteritis plays a significant role in the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal infections that are responsible for a substantial number of deaths globally, especially in developing countries. In Lebanon, there is a lack of national surveillance for acute gastroenteritis, and limited data exists regarding the prevalence of pathogens causing diarrhea. The one-year study aims to investigate the epidemiology of common gastrointestinal pathogens and compare our findings with causative agents of diarrhea reported by our study collaborative centers.