Speedy antibiotic resistance test developed
12 Oct 2017 by Evoluted New Media
Researchers in California have significantly improved the speed of an antibiotic-resistant bacteria detection test.
Researchers in California have significantly improved the speed of an antibiotic-resistant bacteria detection test.
The test can identify these types of bacteria in as little as 30 minutes and assist healthcare professionals in deciding which antibiotics to use to treat an infection. Doctors often use second-line instead of first-line antibiotics, which although is more likely to treat the infection, also leads to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Nathan Schoepp, a California Institute of Technology graduate and co-author of the study, said: “Right now, we're overprescribing, so we are seeing resistance much sooner than we have to for a lot of the antibiotics that we would otherwise want to preserve for more serious situations.”
The researchers aimed to develop a test that could be completed during a single visit to the doctor. They focused on a common infection – urinary tract infections (UTIs). The test works by collecting a urine sample from a UTI patient, which is then divided into two parts. One sample is exposed to an antibiotic for 15 minutes, while the other incubates without antibiotics; before the bacteria from each sample are lysed to release their cellular content.
The cellular contents were then exposed to a process that combines digital real-time loop mediated isothermal application (dLAMP) with a device called a Slip Chip – a prior invention of the Caltech scientists. This unique combination replicates specific DNA markers, allowing them to be imaged and then counted as discrete fluorescent spots appearing on the chip. Non antibiotic-resistant bacteria will replicate DNA less efficiently, allowing for a visible difference between the two samples.
When used in real-world testing, the novel method had a 95% match with results obtained from the usual two-day test – considered the gold standard for accuracy. Moving forward, the researchers aim to use this test with other types of bacterial infections to observe its performance. There are also plans to move into testing blood samples.
The paper was published in Science Translational Medicine.
