A new, potentially life-saving test could dramatically reduce the time it takes to treat life-threatening sepsis by quickly identifying the exact microorganism that triggers the condition.
Currently, it can take doctors several days to determine with certainty which bacteria has triggered sepsis (the immune system’s violent reaction to an infection).
This means that doctors have to use a broad spectrum of drugs designed to act against a large number of pathogens that may be less effective than specific drugs.
But a new test, trialled by scientists in South Korea, speeds up this laborious process to 12 hours.
This saves microbiologists from having to painstakingly culture samples taken from sick patients in petri dishes to determine exactly what is behind their illness.
The new test, which has been tested by scientists in South Korea, speeds up the laborious process to 12 hours and saves microbiologists from having to painstakingly culture samples taken from sick patients in petri dishes to determine exactly what is behind their illness.
Former MP Craig Mackinlay, 57, received a warm welcome when he returned to Parliament in May, having lost his hands and feet after developing sepsis in September last year.
Sepsis is potentially life-threatening, but if caught early, it is treatable. Children with sepsis may have difficulty breathing, seizures, lethargy, a rash that doesn’t go away when a glass is placed over it, and infants may have difficulty feeding.
Instead, the cutting-edge test can determine which microorganisms are the culprits by looking at the genetic information hidden within a sample.
Dr Kim Tae-hyun, co-author of the study and a quantum computing expert at Seoul National University, said the technology had the potential to be a “game changer”. The times reported.
Professor Kwon Sunghoon, another author and an expert in computer engineering, added: ‘Sepsis affects more than 40 million people worldwide each year, with a mortality rate ranging from 20 to 50 per cent.
‘This high mortality rate causes more than 10 million deaths a year. Therefore, the accurate and rapid prescription of antibiotics is essential for treatment.
‘The long turnaround time of current testing methods directly contributes to the rapid development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.’
Using the new technique, researchers isolated pathogens within a patient’s blood sample without first culturing it.
Using special peptide molecules (the building blocks of proteins), the scientists attached them to magnetic nanoparticles.
When added to the blood sample, the peptides bind to harmful bacterial cells.
Pathogens are then extracted using magnetism and doctors then analyze the DNA extracted from the bacteria to determine exactly what type of microbes are present.
AI is also used to analyze their growth patterns and predict which treatments will be most effective for the patient.
Writing in the diary NatureThe scientists said the technique could reduce current testing methods by 30 to 40 hours and they hope it could be available for use on patients within two to three years.
The most important thing is that the entire process can be carried out by a single machine, they added.
Sepsis, nicknamed the “silent killer” because it is extremely difficult to recognise, kills nearly 50,000 Britons every year.
The condition occurs when the body’s immune system is activated in response to an infection, triggering a series of reactions that can lead to fatal organ failure.
Suspected patients should receive antibiotics within one hour of arriving at the hospital.
Bacterial infections are often the cause of sepsis, but viruses such as Covid and influenza (against which antibiotics do not work) can also trigger the condition.
Every hour of delay in diagnosis increases the risk of dying from sepsis by 1 to 2 percent, the UK Sepsis Trust estimates.
But even the after-effects experienced by survivors can be life-changing.
Former MP Craig Mackinlay, 57, received a warm welcome when he returned to Parliament in May, having lost his hands and feet after developing sepsis in September last year.
He also suffered damage to his gum tissue, which left him with loose teeth, as well as to his ears and face.
