Rapid Bacterial Identification Test with Bactfast®
Bactfast® is a CE-IVDR–certified bacterial identification test and pan-bacterial identification solution powered by AIoS™, Credence Genomics’ proprietary Pathogen Stacks technology combining long-read sequencing, targeted metagenomics, and machine learning. Designed for rapid, culture-independent diagnostics, Bactfast® enables comprehensive bacterial detection and MMR™-powered predictive antimicrobial resistance insights in less than 24 hours—supporting confident clinical decision-making in sepsis and other critical infections when it matters most.
Comprehensive Bacterial Detection
Bactfast® is a CE-IVDR–certified pan-bacterial identification solution powered by AIoS™, Credence Genomics’ proprietary Pathogen Stacks technology combining long-read sequencing, targeted metagenomics, and machine learning.
Designed for rapid, culture-independent diagnostics, Bactfast® enables comprehensive bacterial detection and MMR™-powered predictive antimicrobial resistance insights in less than 24 hours — supporting confident clinical decision-making in sepsis and other critical infections, when it matters most.
Integrated sequencing, machine learning, and advanced modelling — delivering precise, reproducible pathogen insights.
Bactfast® uses 16S rRNA gene–based targeted metagenomic sequencing (tmNGS) to directly analyse bacterial DNA from clinical samples. Advanced bioinformatics and machine-learning algorithms ensure precise organism identification and resistance gene detection.
Coverage: 22,000+ bacterial organisms, includes genus and species-level identification
Regulatory Status: CE-IVDR certified
GLOBAL REACH
- 13+ Countries
- 62+ Hospitals & Labs
- 250K+ Hospital Beds
- 1,500+ Pathogens Detected
Bactfast® integrates seamlessly with other detection kits:
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Clinical Applications
Bactfast® is commonly used in high-risk and diagnostically complex scenarios, and is especially valuable when traditional bacterial culture or PCR testing is negative, delayed, or inconclusive. Those scenarios include:
Sepsis and septic shock
Culture-negative infections
Polymicrobial infections
Fastidious and anaerobic infections
Non-resolving infections
Immunocompromised patients
Post-surgical and prosthetic infections
Neurological infections (meningitis, brain abscess)
Endocarditis
Why Bactfast®?
In critical infections, time and accuracy save lives. Traditional culture-based methods are slow, limited, and often inconclusive, especially in patients who are already on antibiotics or infected with fastidious or unculturable organisms.
Agnostic Pathogen Detection
No prior assumptions required.
Culture-independent testing
Detects both culturable and unculturable bacteria.
Rapid turnaround time
Actionable results in <24 hours.
High accuracy and sensitivity
Up to 99% accuracy, operator-independent.
Comprehensive coverage
Entire known bacterial spectrum in one test.
Clinical Applications
Bactfast® is especially valuable in high-acuity and diagnostically challenging scenarios, including:
Non-resolving post-surgical infections
Prosthetic joint and valve infections
Deep tissue and sterile site infections
Sepsis and septic shock
Culture-negative infections
Chronic or recurrent infections
Immunocompromised patients
Post-transplant infections
Meningitis
Aligned with international guidelines
International guidelines increasingly recommend sequencing-based approaches in:
Culture-negative infections
Immunocompromised patients
Recurrent or unexplained infections
The Challenge
The Limitations of Traditional Bacterial Diagnostics
Delays of 3-7 days in obtaining results can postpone targeted treatment, increasing the risk of complications in critical patients.
In 10-30% of sepsis cases, cultures return negative despite clear clinical infection, leaving diagnostic uncertainty that can compromise timely care.
Mixed infections and anaerobic organisms are frequently underdiagnosed or missed entirely by conventional culture methods.
PCR panels and film array cover a limited set of organisms, making them unsuitable as a true agnostic diagnostic test.
Clinical Applications
Bactfast® is especially valuable in high-acuity and diagnostically challenging scenarios, including:
Aligned with international guidelines
International guidelines increasingly recommend sequencing-based approaches in:
The SOLUTION
How Bactfast® Delivers Diagnostic Clarity
Bactfast® uses next-generation sequencing and proprietary bioinformatics to rapidly identify bacterial pathogens with high specificity. Designed for complex and chronic cases, it delivers a complete diagnostic picture when traditional testing is inconclusive.
Metric | Bactfast® | Bacterial Culture | Bacterial PCR Panels | Insight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Detection Approach
| Targeted metagenomic sequencing (16S rRNA) | Growth-based | Targeted amplification | Unbiased sequencing avoids organism pre-selection
|
Organism Coverage
| 22,000+ bacterial species
| Limited (common, culturable bacteria)
| Limited (panel-restricted)
| Broad-spectrum detection in a single test |
Culture-Independent Detection
| Yes | No | Yes | Effective even after antibiotic therapy |
Detection in Culture-Negative Infections | High (94.1% sensitivity) | None | Variable | Identifies infections missed by culture |
Mixed/co-infections
| Clearly detected | Often missed | Partially detected | Resolves complex polymicrobial infections
|
Anaerobic organism detection
| Yes | Requires specialized protocol; often missed | Variable | Detected in same assay as aerobes |
Turnaround Time
| <24 hours | 3–7 days | 12–24 hours | Faster results enable earlier intervention |
Resistance insight
| MMR™ included | Requires separate susceptibility testing (+24–48h) | Not included | Data-driven therapy decisions, same report |
Metric | Bactfast® | Bacterial Culture | Bacterial PCR Panels | Insight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Detection Approach
| Targeted metagenomic sequencing (16S rRNA) | Growth-based | Targeted amplification | Broad detection without organism pre-selection |
Organism Coverage
| 22,000+ bacterial species
| Limited (culturable organisms)
| Limited (panel-restricted)
| Comprehensive bacterial spectrum in a single test
|
Culture-Independent Detection
| Yes | No | Yes (with an exception in some molecular modalities where positive culture sample is required)
| Detects fastidious and unculturable bacteria
|
Detection in Culture-Negative Infections | High | None | Variable | Identifies infections missed by culture |
Mixed/Polymicrobial infections
| Clearly detected | Often missed | Partially detected | Resolves complex polymicrobial infections
|
Species-Level Resolution
| High (genus & species) | Variable | Variable | Enables confident clinical interpretation |
Turnaround Time
| <24 hours | 2–5 days
| 12–72 hours
| Faster results enable earlier targeted therapy
|
Sensitivity in Invasive Disease
| High | Variable | Moderate | Improved detection in low bacterial burden
|
Learn more about our pathogen detection stack and platform capabilities.
Faster, Broader, More Accurate Diagnostics
Bactfast® empowers clinicians with actionable insights by detecting a wide spectrum of bacterial pathogens—even those missed by traditional methods. With faster turnaround times and high concordance to culture-positive results, it provides reliable information that supports confident, timely treatment decisions. By combining broad coverage with precision analysis, Bactfast® transforms complex microbial data into clarity at the point of care.
Delivering Clear Results
Bactfast® delivers a complete diagnostic picture when traditional culture and targeted PCR panels may fall short.
Culture-independent detection helps identify pathogens sooner to support earlier, more confident clinical decisions.
Predictive intelligence adds clinical context that strengthens decision-making for critical care and complex infections.