Applications of the powerful next-generation sequencing tool for detecting parasitic infections: towards a smart laboratory platform

• Published in: Microbial pathogenesis Vol. 206; p. 107746
• Main Authors: Basirpour, Bahareh, Tabaripour, Rabeeh, Jafarian, Farzane, Fakhar, Mahdi, Ziaei Hezarjaribi, Hajar, Gholami, Shirzad
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2025
• Subjects: Animals; Diagnosis; Drug resistant; Helminths - genetics; Helminths - isolation & purification; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing - methods; Host-parasite interactions; Humans; Molecular Diagnostic Techniques - methods; Next generation sequencing; Parasites; Parasites - classification; Parasites - genetics; Parasites - isolation & purification; Parasitic Diseases - diagnosis; Parasitic Diseases - parasitology; Diagnosis; Parasites; Drug resistant; Next generation sequencing; Host-parasite interactions
• ISSN: 0882-4010; 1096-1208; 1096-1208
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2025.107746

Parasitic infections are a group of infectious diseases that are mainly caused by helminths and protozoa. Recently, emerging diagnostic techniques have been developed to not only elevate the chance of parasite detection but also increase the accurate diagnosis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies are highlighted among different genomic-based methods due to their wide-spectrum application. NGS presents an opportunity for clinical use in detecting parasitic infections. Also, it allows for the characterization of parasites, as well as the identification of drug resistance. Incorporating NGS into the diagnostic process has the potential to create innovative laboratory platforms that transform the field of parasitology and enhance patient care. The NGS technique has been used in understanding genetic interrelationships among parasites and the detection of parasites in various samples. It is anticipated that these approaches will be changed to the point of care diagnostic testing due to their accuracy and rapid action. Moreover, their efficiency in diagnosing multiple organisms with one sampling, changes these methods into pioneers in diagnostic tests. Here, the applications of NGS as a powerful tool in diagnosing clinically important parasites and how this tool is developing parasitic disease diagnostics are discussed. •Non-invasive diagnosis of parasitic infections is crucial due to their widespread prevalence, drug resistance, and control challenges, especially in mixed infections.•NGS can detec diverse parasites, including ones missed by traditional methods.•NGS enables early, sensitive detection of low-density and unknown pathogens, host-parasite dynamics, and drug resistance.•This review attempts to arrange an outline of NGS applications as an emerging powerful tool in the current era.