ABSTRACT
All living beings, including humans, have a genetic identity, their genes defined by the DNA sequence of their genome, which for instance reveal themselves in physical traits such as skin, hair, and eye color, as well as in well-known hereditable diseases. Conversely, the genetic identity may be used by the healthcare system in order to select patients with the highest probability for response, or least risk of other complications. Genetic diagnostics are presently most commonly and narrowly used for prenatal diagnostics of severe genetic diseases, but with the rapid sequencing technology progress, diagnostic tests will increasingly cover larger parts of the genome using next generation sequencing (NGS), and may eventually involve whole genome sequencing. The genetic identity of microorganisms can be exploited for medical diagnostic purposes in order to perform the optimal treatment for the infection in question. Individual genetic identity has anthropological implications.
