Wound infection testing.
15 bacterial pathogens and 9 antibiotic resistance markers from one wound or skin swab — so treatment matches the organism instead of a guess.
- $199 flat · results in 24–48 hours
- 15 pathogens · 9 resistance markers
- No appointment, no insurance claim
Panel
15 pathogens · 9 resistance markers
Sample
Wound or skin swab
Results
24–48 hours at the lab
Price
$199 flat
What we test
The organisms that slow healing.
Every target is detected and quantified with real-time PCR, so organisms that are slow-growing or difficult to culture still show up — alongside the resistance markers your prescriber needs before choosing an antibiotic.
Staphylococcus & Streptococcus species
The bacteria behind most skin and wound infections, including MRSA and other resistant strains.
Gram-negative wound organisms
Enteric and environmental bacteria that colonize wounds, particularly in diabetes and poor circulation.
9 antibiotic resistance markers
Genes such as mecA that flag methicillin and multidrug resistance, so the first prescription has a better chance of being the right one.
The science
Why PCR changes the picture for chronic wounds.
Chronic wounds rarely hold a single organism. They carry polymicrobial communities — often organized in biofilms — where slow-growing and anaerobic bacteria survive routine culture. Molecular testing reads the full community directly from the swab and pairs it with resistance genes, giving the care team organism identity, bacterial load and resistance status in one report.
60–80%
of chronic wounds harbor polymicrobial biofilm — communities that standard culture under-detects.
Source: James et al., Wound Repair & Regeneration, 2008
~25%
of people with diabetes develop a foot ulcer during their lifetime — the most common chronic wound we test.
Source: Boulton et al., The Lancet, 2005
3–7 days
typical turnaround for a wound culture to grow and report; quantitative PCR reports in 24–48 hours.
Source: IDSA skin & soft tissue infection guidelines, 2014
~50%
of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates in US hospitals are methicillin-resistant (MRSA), which is why resistance markers are read alongside the organisms.
Source: CDC MRSA surveillance data
How often does this matter?
Test when a wound is red, draining, malodorous or simply not closing on schedule — and don't wait for a culture to fail before ordering. Most chronic wounds are reassessed every 2–4 weeks of standard care; if a wound has not improved in that window, or an infection returns after treatment, molecular testing with resistance markers is the informative next step.
References
- James GA, Swogger E, Wolcott R, et al. Biofilms in chronic wounds. Wound Repair and Regeneration. 2008;16(1):37–44.
- Boulton AJM, Vileikyte L, Ragnarson-Tennvall G, Apelqvist J. The global burden of diabetic foot disease. The Lancet. 2005;366(9498):1719–1724.
- Stevens DL, Bisno AL, Chambers HF, et al. Practice guidelines for the diagnosis and management of skin and soft tissue infections: 2014 update. Clinical Infectious Diseases. 2014;59(2):147–159.
- CDC. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) — clinical overview and surveillance.
From the lab
Test specifications at a glance
How each molecular panel runs at our CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited laboratory in Germantown, Maryland.
Urinary Tract Infection Panel
- Method
- Quantitative real-time PCR for pathogen detection, quantification, and resistance gene identification
- Preferred specimen
- Urine
- Panel coverage
- 14 urinary tract pathogens plus 9 antibiotic resistance markers
- Turnaround
- 24 hours (typical)
Designed to detect organisms that are slow-growing or difficult to culture.
Vaginal Microbiota Panel
- Method
- Quantitative real-time PCR for pathogen detection, quantification, and resistance gene identification
- Preferred specimen
- Vaginal swab
- Panel coverage
- 37 molecular pathogens associated with bacterial vaginosis, urinary tract infections, vaginitis, and STIs
- Turnaround
- 24 hours (typical)
- Resistance genes
- Available as an option
Reports protective and disruptive flora alike — Lactobacillus species, Gardnerella vaginalis, Atopobium vaginae, Mobiluncus, and Megasphaera — to place your microbiome in context.
STI Panel
- Method
- Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) for highly sensitive pathogen detection and quantification
- Preferred specimen
- Vaginal swab or urine
- Panel coverage
- 14 clinically relevant bacterial and viral pathogens
- Turnaround
- 24 hours (typical)
- Resistance genes
- Available as an option
Designed for both male and female patients. HPV types 16, 18, and 45 are reported for women over 31.
Wound Infection Panel
- Method
- Quantitative real-time PCR for pathogen detection, quantification, and resistance gene identification
- Preferred specimen
- Wound swab or skin swab
- Panel coverage
- 15 molecular pathogens plus 9 antibiotic resistance markers
- Turnaround
- 24 hours (typical)
Designed to detect organisms that are slow-growing or difficult to culture.
Nail Infection Panel
- Method
- Quantitative real-time PCR for pathogen detection, quantification, and resistance gene identification
- Preferred specimen
- Nail clipping or shavings
- Panel coverage
- 24 molecular pathogens across bacteria, fungi, and parasites
- Turnaround
- 24 hours (typical)
- Resistance genes
- Available as an option
Covers dermatophytes (Trichophyton, Microsporum, Epidermophyton), Candida species, molds such as Aspergillus and Fusarium, plus bacteria and the scabies mite (Sarcoptes scabiei).
Respiratory Pathogen Panel
- Method
- Quantitative real-time PCR for pathogen detection, quantification, and resistance gene identification
- Preferred specimen
- Nasal swab
- Panel coverage
- 32 molecular pathogens — 8 bacterial and 24 viral
- Turnaround
- 24 hours (typical)
- Resistance genes
- Available as an option
Covers influenza A and B, RSV A and B, four common human coronaviruses, parainfluenza 1–3, human metapneumovirus, and more.
Gastrointestinal Pathogen Panel
- Method
- Quantitative real-time PCR for pathogen detection, quantification, and resistance gene identification
- Preferred specimen
- Stool swab
- Panel coverage
- 26 molecular pathogens — 13 bacterial and 13 viral and protozoal
- Turnaround
- 24 hours (typical)
- Resistance genes
- Available as an option
Includes C. difficile toxin A/B, Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (stx1/stx2), Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, norovirus GI/GII, and Giardia.
Who this is for
A wound that is not healing on schedule deserves a specific answer.
A wound that will not heal
Redness, drainage or odor that persists despite cleaning and dressing changes.
Diabetic or circulation-compromised wounds
Foot and leg ulcers where organism choice and resistance status matter most.
Post-surgical concerns
A surgical site that looks worse than expected, without waiting for a culture to grow.
Recurring infections
The same site flaring again — resistance testing shows what changed.
Is this test right for me?
A cut, bite or surgical site that is red, draining or not closing.
You have already tried standard care and the wound is not improving.
You were previously treated and the infection came back.
Diabetes or poor circulation and a wound that worries you.
A clinician asked you to get a wound culture.
You want answers in a day or two, not a week.
Not sure whether this is the right panel? A licensed healthcare provider in our network reviews every order and can help you choose.
Before you order
Total price
$199
One-time flat price, paid directly to the lab. No separate fee for the kit, return shipping or the healthcare provider order.
What's included
Kit to report
Collection kit and instructions, a prepaid FedEx overnight return label, the healthcare provider order, real-time PCR analysis in our lab and a secure online report.
Who orders the test
A licensed healthcare provider
A licensed healthcare provider in our network reviews your request and places the order during checkout, at no extra cost. No referral needed.
When to expect results
24–48 hours
After the lab receives your sample. Samples dropped off before 11am are processed the same day.
Questions people actually ask
Get the wound tested, not guessed at.
Kits ship to your door, or drop your sample off at our Maryland lab. No appointment and no insurance claim required.