Upper respiratory tract infections are often misdiagnosed, as the low coverage of single-plex and low-plex tests can miss causative pathogens. Misdiagnosis can negatively impact patient care and community health. QIAstat-Dx multiplex RT-PCR testing has the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy by expanding the pool of target pathogens, meaning physicians are more likely to find the specific cause of an infection and provide better care. But does low-plex testing really contribute to the underdiagnosis of respiratory infections? And if so, by how much? To answer these questions, we present a recent study comparing results from a theoretical low-plex viral respiratory assay with the multiplex QIAstat-Dx Respiratory SARS-CoV-2 Panel, which covers more than 20 bacterial and viral respiratory pathogens. Data were captured from the QIAsphere Insights dashboard and represent results from 90 institutions worldwide collected between January 2021 and December 2022. Positivity rates for the two assays, rates of viral and bacterial detections and rates of co-detection were analyzed. Join Carmen Miravet Zaragoza, Medical Science Liaison with QIAGEN, as she presents data from this study and walks through its implications for infectious disease diagnostics.