Global Fever Special Pathogens Panel

The BioFire Global Fever Special Pathogens Panel (GFSPP) is an FDA-cleared, qualitative, multiplexed, nucleic acid-based PCR assay.

Note: Positive results do not rule out co-infection with pathogens not included on the GFSPP. Patients with high suspicion for a VHF who have an initial negative test may require a repeat test/should be tested again within 72 hours of symptom onset. Not all pathogens that cause acute febrile illness are detected by this test, and negative results do not preclude infection with the pathogens targeted by the test and should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment, or other patient management decisions.

Note: The GFSPP is not intended for screening asymptomatic individuals. The complete list of the limitations of the GFP can be found in the most recent version of the GFSPP assay package insert.

Note: When testing for mosquito-borne viruses (Chikungunya, Dengue, West Nile, Yellow Fever), the GFSPP may not reliably detect the presence of arbovirus RNA once patients are outside the acute phase of infection, namely the first 1 to 7 days after symptoms onset.

Note: The presence of a P. vivax or P. ovale infection must be confirmed before consideration of treatment for the hypnozoite liver form owing to potential cross-reaction with Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium knowlesi.

Note: Pathogens for which the panel provides presumptive identification results require additional testing and confirmation procedures at the Rhode Island State Health Laboratories and /or a reference laboratory, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). In cases of patients under investigation for infection with a select agent, consultation with the CDC may be required prior to testing with the GFSPP, and patients may need to remain in isolation until confirmation of negative results is obtained from CDC.

Note: RIDOH recommends consideration of the GFSPP for patients with a high suspicion for a targeted viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF). Decisions to test for VHFs should be based on compatible clinical presentation and driven by epidemiologic risk factors including recent travel history and identification high-risk exposures. The GFSPP may also be appropriate for patients with fever of unknown origin and relevant travel history when more common infectious etiologies have already been reasonably excluded. Providers should consider utilizing existing commercial or hospital-based testing for more routine pathogens included in the differential diagnosis prior to requesting the GFSPP.