Identify one molecular method for pathogen detection other than PCR.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a powerful molecular method for pathogen detection. It allows for the simultaneous sequencing of millions of DNA molecules, enabling the comprehensive analysis of microbial genomes and community structures. This technology can detect a wide variety of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, by capturing their genetic material from clinical samples.

One of the significant advantages of NGS is its ability to provide not only the identification of pathogens but also insights into genetic variations, resistance genes, and virulence factors present within the pathogen's genome. This capability to analyze entire genomes or metagenomes makes NGS a compelling tool in epidemiology, clinical diagnostics, and outbreak tracking.

In contrast, other methods like ELISA and Western blotting are primarily used for the detection of specific proteins or antibodies rather than for comprehensive genomic analysis. Gram staining is a traditional technique used to classify bacteria based on their cell wall properties but does not involve molecular detection at the DNA level. NGS surpasses these methods in terms of depth of information and breadth of pathogen detection capabilities.