We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Innovative Diagnostic Approach for Bacterial Infections to Enable Faster and Effective Treatment

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 21 Oct 2024

For patients with bacterial infections, timely treatment with the appropriate antibiotics significantly improves their chances of recovery. More...

Current methods for identifying which antibiotics will be effective for each patient involve culturing bacteria from the patient in a laboratory, a process that takes several days to provide results. During this time, patients are often prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics, which can create drug-resistant infections—a major public health concern. Now, an innovative diagnostic approach could potentially enable patients with bacterial infections to receive the most effective treatment more quickly, thereby reducing the reliance on broad-spectrum antibacterials.

The method, named Genotypic and Phenotypic Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing through RNA detection, or GoPhAST-R, has been developed by researchers at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (Cambridge, MA, USA). This technique analyzes both the growth and genetic activity of bacteria to quickly assess the pathogen's susceptibility to various antibiotics. In the GoPhAST-R approach, bacterial samples are exposed to a range of antibiotics, after which an RNA detection platform is used to identify distinct patterns of change in messenger RNA expression, which indicate differences in bacterial gene activity. These mRNA changes occur within minutes of antibiotic exposure in drug-susceptible bacteria, while they do not appear in drug-resistant strains. Additionally, the method investigates genes associated with antibiotic resistance, providing insights into the underlying bacterial mechanisms and suggesting potential therapeutic options. The researchers have also demonstrated the approach's effectiveness in a pilot study involving blood cultures from patients receiving inpatient treatment for infections.

In their previous work with a limited number of patient samples, the research team demonstrated that GoPhAST-R could ascertain antibiotic susceptibility in under four hours after bacteria were detected in a blood culture, compared to 28-40 hours using conventional clinical laboratory techniques. In the new study, they expanded the clinical pilot to encompass blood samples from 42 patients hospitalized with infections caused by Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae, which are among the most common pathogens responsible for bloodstream infections. The researchers exposed the blood cultures to nine different antibiotics from three distinct classes and subsequently conducted transcriptional profiling on the NanoString platform. They analyzed mRNA changes in 10 genes for each antibiotic class, along with a select few genes that confer resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics. According to a paper published on the pre-print server medRxiv and findings reported in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology, their results demonstrated 95% agreement with those obtained from gold-standard growth-based assays for antibiotic susceptibility.

"In this pilot, we've shown that GoPhAST-R is an approach that can work well in the clinic," said study senior author Roby Bhattacharyya, an associate member at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. "The next step will be to show GoPhAST-R's utility in making decisions about patient care in real time. We'd love to one day see it as an assay that can be employed in hospitals everywhere, to help patients get more effective treatments without promoting drug resistance."

Related Links:
Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard


New
Gold Member
Hematology Analyzer
Medonic M32B
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Gold Member
Cardiovascular Risk Test
Metabolic Syndrome Array I & II
New
Sperm Quality Analyis Kit
QwikCheck Beads Precision and Linearity Kit
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel
Image: The ONC IN-CYT platform leverages cross indication biomarker cyto-signatures (Photo courtesy of OraLiva)

AI-Powered Cytology Tool Detects Early Signs of Oral Cancer

Each year, 54,000 Americans are diagnosed with oral cancer, yet only 28% of cases are identified at an early stage, when the five-year survival rate exceeds 85%. Most diagnoses occur in later stages, when... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The microfluidic device for passive separation of platelet-rich plasma from whole blood (Photo courtesy of University of the Basque Country)

Portable and Disposable Device Obtains Platelet-Rich Plasma Without Complex Equipment

Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) plays a crucial role in regenerative medicine due to its ability to accelerate healing and repair tissue. However, obtaining PRP traditionally requires expensive centrifugation... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: PD-1 protein blockade is the standard treatment for advanced melanoma among the different types of immunotherapy (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Precision Tool Predicts Immunotherapy Treatment Failure in Melanoma Patients

Melanoma, though accounting for only about 4% of skin tumors, is the deadliest form of skin cancer due to its high potential to metastasize. While immunotherapy, especially PD-1 protein blockade, has revolutionized... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Researchers have developed a novel method to analyze tumor growth rates (Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock)

Novel Method To Analyze Tumor Growth Rates Helps Tracks Progression Between Diagnosis and Surgery

Patients diagnosed with breast cancer often worry about how quickly their tumors grow while they wait for surgery, and whether delays in treatment might allow the disease to spread beyond the point of cure.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.