New Method Offers Rapid and Accurate Blood Infection Detection

Researchers have shown that a novel method could precisely and swiftly identify bloodstream infections. The study findings were presented at ASM Microbe, the American Society for Microbiology annual meeting.

There is a need to be able to rapidly and accurately diagnose bacteremia in newborn babies. They are especially susceptible to long-term morbidities and mortality the longer they go without treatment, or even with inaccurate treatment for bloodstream infections or sepsis. Therefore, we felt that it was of the utmost importance to be able to have a diagnostic that could work with what was available for neonates: that is, a small amount of blood, a small amount of bacteria, and a small amount of time to get the diagnosis.”

April Aralar Ph.D., Study Author and Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California

The latest study used pediatric blood samples from San Diego's Rady Children's Hospital to evaluate a breakthrough technology known as u-dHRM (Universal Digital High-Resolution Melt). The blood was evaluated with the new platform after 17 blood samples were previously examined using blood culture, the clinical standard diagnostic technique.

The new technology produced the data faster, and the researchers observed 100% agreement between the innovative method and the clinical gold standard of blood culture.

Aralar said, “Our test only took 6 hours from start to finish, whereas blood culture takes anywhere from 15 hours to 5 days to get a result.”

According to Aralar, the results are promising and the technique could provide a novel means of promptly and precisely identifying bloodstream infections in infants. It could also be used with adults and children.

Next, we hope to do a prospective clinical trial across multiple clinical centers and hospitals to test our method across more patients and different populations. Hopefully, we can deploy this technology to more hospitals and have point of care diagnostics for babies and children more widely.”

April Aralar, Ph.D., Study Author and Postdoctoral Scholar, University of California