Successful C. difficile Test Expands Diagnostic Capability for Hospital Acquired Infections

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 23 Sep 2015

Image: Firefly Dx prototype system is designed to provide real-time, accurate results on a handheld point-of-care, point-of-need device, with applications in diagnostic pathogen detection, agricultural and food screening, and detection of biological weapons agents (Photo courtesy of PositiveID Corporation).

A new, more comprehensive Clostridium difficile test was added to the panel of pathogens successfully detected on a prototype system for PCR based rapid diagnostic tests.

Like many hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), C. difficile has become more frequent, severe, and difficult to treat. PositiveID Corporation (Delray Beach, FL, USA) has successfully detected C. difficile in less than 20 minutes on its “Firefly Dx” PCR breadboard prototype pathogen detection system. The assay, provided by partner GenArraytion, Inc. to PositiveID for testing, is a more comprehensive and specific test than many other available C. difficile assays as it tests for the C. difficile chromosome in addition to Toxin-A and Toxin-B.

PositiveID has also successfully detected the common HAI methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) on its Firefly Dx prototype system, as well as the methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA).

“As we progress in the development of Firefly Dx, we not only make engineering improvements to the system, we also increase the breadth of our data by adding to the list of pathogens we can detect,” said William J. Caragol, Chairman and CEO, PositiveID, “The HAI market is vast, and we believe our ability to successfully detect C. difficile, MRSA, MSSA, and other pathogens quickly, accurately, and cost-effectively, will enable us, upon completion, to provide Firefly Dx to hospitals and other care facilities to help stop the spread of the these and other dangerous infections.”

Firefly Dx is being developed to provide real-time, accurate diagnostic results on a handheld point-of-care device, thereby leading to treatment scenarios at the point of need that are not possible with existing systems, which require lab-based equipment, highly trained personnel, and can take hours or even days to provide results. Firefly’s applications include point-of-need, lab-quality, detection of pathogenic organisms; agricultural and food screening; and detection of biological agents associated with weapons of mass destruction.

Related Links:
PositiveID
Firefly Dx, applications