Abstract: A method for detecting one or more pathogens in a subject. The method includes the steps of: (a) procuring a biological sample, wherein the biological sample comprises nucleic acid material; (b) amplifying the nucleic acid material using random primers to produce a set of random amplicons; (c) providing one or more pathogen-specific probes or probe sets; (d) hybridizing the set of random amplicons with the one or more pathogen-specific probes or probe sets; and (e) determining selective hybridization between a random amplicon and a pathogen-specific probe or probe set, whereby the presence of a pathogen in a biological sample is detected.