In simple words: This test uses a special DNA/RNA probe to check for several infections at once in a single sample. It helps determine if a patient has multiple infections.

The lab analyst performs a test for multiple infectious organisms in one sample using direct nucleic acid probe technique. The analyst prepares the specimen and mixes it with a nucleic acid probe, a fabricated single-strand sequence of DNA or RNA that joins with the complementary sequence in the specimen through hybridization. The probe includes a label, allowing visualization of the hybridization product, if present. This test is often ordered when a patient is suspected of having an infection caused by more than one infectious organism.

Example 1: A patient presents with symptoms suggesting a mixed bacterial and fungal infection. 87800 is used to identify the multiple infectious organisms in a single sample., A patient with suspected pneumonia exhibits signs of multiple pathogens. Code 87800 is used for rapid identification of multiple bacteria or viruses in the sputum sample., Following a tick bite, a patient shows symptoms consistent with co-infection of Lyme disease and babesiosis. 87800 aids in simultaneous detection of both pathogens from the blood sample.

Documentation should include the patient's symptoms, the reason for testing, the specimen source, the test method (direct probe technique), and the test results.