The Role of Abbott PLEX-ID
The PLEX-ID allows for screening for unknown bacteria, viruses, or fungi in a single analysis directly from the sample. With the ability to analyze up to 250 samples per day and to provide results in as little as eight hours, PLEX-ID technology can routinely screen and identify both known and unknown organisms, or be used in a role complementary to other molecular techniques.
| PLEX-ID | Real Time PCR | Targeted Sequencing | Deep Sequencing | |
| Function | Routine Screening & Identification | Routine Quantitation | Targeted Identification | Unknown Identification |
| Sample | Direct | Direct | Isolate | Isolate from Culture |
| No# Organisms | 100s-1000s | 1-5 | 100s | 100s-1000s |
| Time to Result | < 8 hours | 2-4 hours | 24-48 hours | 1-2 weeks |
| Cost per Test* | $ | $ | $$ | $$$ |
| Ease of Use & Interpretation | Moderate | Moderate | Difficult | Very Difficult |
*Includes sample preparation.
Real-time PCR is a relatively easy-to-use technique that provides quantitative results within hours but is very limited in its ability to multiplex and requires a priori knowledge of what organisms you are looking for.
Targeted or deep genome sequencing allows for searching across many groups of organisms without a priori knowledge, but analysis is expensive, time to results is days to weeks, and a high degree of skill is required to perform isolation sequencing and interpretation.
The Abbott PLEX-ID combines the best of both real-time PCR and sequencing by being able to screen for and identify a broad range of organisms without priori knowledge, direct from sample, with results in hours and at a skill level comparable to that of real-time PCR.
