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




Fast Antibacterial Susceptibility Testing by Measuring Electron Transfer Metabolism

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 07 Dec 2020
A recently developed device facilitates bacterial antibiotics susceptibility testing by measuring the effect of these drugs on bacterial electron transfer metabolism.

Since some 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections occur annually in the United States with more than 35,000 fatalities, fast and simple antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is urgently required to guide effective antibiotic usages and for monitoring of the antimicrobial resistance rate. More...


Towards this end, investigators at Binghamton University (NY, USA) established a rapid, quantitative, and high-throughput phenotypic AST by measuring electrons transferred from the interiors of microbial cells to external electrodes. Since the transferred electrons are based on microbial metabolic activities and are inversely proportional to the concentration of potential antibiotics, the changes in electrical outputs can be readily used as a signal to efficiently monitor bacterial growth and antibiotic susceptibility.

For this study, the investigators utilized the common Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa together with the first-line antibiotic gentamicin. The novel detector had eight sensors printed on a paper surface. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values generated by the new technique were validated by the gold standard broth microdilution (BMD) method.

Results revealed that the new approach provided quantitative, actionable MIC results within just five hours, as it measured electricity produced by bacterial metabolism instead of the days needed for growth-observation methods.

"To effectively treat the infections, we need to select the right antibiotics with the exact dose for the appropriate duration," said senior author Dr. Seokheun Choi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Binghamton University. "There is a need to develop an antibiotic-susceptibility testing method and offer effective guidelines to treat these infections."

"Although many bacteria are energy-producing, some pathogens do not perform extracellular electron transfer and may not be used directly in our platform. However, various chemical compounds can assist the electron transfer from non-electricity-producing bacteria," said Dr. Choi. "For instance, E. coli cannot transfer electrons from the inside of the cell to the outside, but with the addition of some chemical compounds, they can generate electricity. Now we are working on how to make this technique general to all bacteria cells. We leverage this biochemical event for a new technique to assess the antibiotic effectiveness against bacteria without monitoring the whole bacterial growth. As far as I know, we are the first to demonstrate this technique in a rapid and high-throughput manner by using paper as a substrate."

The new method for determining bacterial antibiotic resistance was published in the November 15, 2020 issue of the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics.

Related Links:
Binghamton University


Gold Member
Hematology Analyzer
Medonic M32B
Portable Electronic Pipette
Mini 96
Hemodynamic System Monitor
OptoMonitor
New
Gold Member
Hybrid Pipette
SWITCH
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

Hematology

view channel
Image: New evidence shows viscoelastic testing can improve assessment of blood clotting during postpartum hemorrhage (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Viscoelastic Testing Could Improve Treatment of Maternal Hemorrhage

Postpartum hemorrhage, severe bleeding after childbirth, remains one of the leading causes of maternal mortality worldwide, yet many of these deaths are preventable. Standard care can be hindered by delays... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: The tool enables scientists to track real-time fluctuations in T cell function with unprecedented speed and precision (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Luminescent Probe Measures Immune Cell Activity in Real Time

The human immune system plays a vital role in defending against disease, but its activity must be precisely monitored to ensure effective treatment in cancer therapy, autoimmune disorders, and organ transplants.... Read more

Industry

view channel
Image: The collaboration supports clinical validation and regulatory submissions of the new T1D 4-plex assay on Revvity’s GSP instrument (Photo courtesy of Revvity)

Revvity and Sanofi Collaborate on Program to Revolutionize Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a lifelong autoimmune condition in which the immune system destroys the pancreas’s insulin-producing beta cells, leading to dependence on insulin therapy. Early detection is critical... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.