Can DNA Test Detect Pneumonia? by Hannah Joy on January 16, 2021 at 3:24 PM Yes, DNA test can identify secondary infections in Covid-19 patients, who are doubly at risk of developing pneumonia while on ventilation. For patients with the most severe forms of Covid-19, mechanical ventilation is often the only way to keep them alive, as doctors use anti-inflammatory therapies to treat their inflamed lungs. However, these patients are susceptible to further infections from bacteria and fungi that they may acquire while in hospital -- so called 'ventilator-associated pneumonia'. ‘A DNA test can quickly identify patients who have double the risk of developing pneumonia while on ventilation.’