New urine test for infections

Researchers at the University of Reading (United Kingdom) have developed a new method of urine analysis that allows identifying the most effective antibiotic against a urinary tract infection (ITU) in just 5.85 hours. The study, published in the journal Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapyhas had the collaboration of the University of Southampton and the Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, all in the United Kingdom

Currently, common methods require between two and three days of cultivation in laboratory. On the contrary, this technique directly analyzes the urine sample and allows us to know on the same day which antibiotic is most effective.

The procedure is based on a system with tubes containing different antibiotics. The sample is introduced into these containers and an optical imaging system observes whether or not the bacteria grow in each of them. If growth is blocked, antibiotic is effective. If it continues, it is not. With this mechanism, healthcare professionals can adjust treatment in a few hours.

In the main study, the researchers analyzed 352 urine samples of patients with suspected urinary tract infection. The new technique coincided with the reference methods in 96.95% of the cases for seven commonly used antibiotics.

A second job, with 90 duplicate samplesraised the agreement to 98.75%both in samples with and without preservative. According to the authors, this result reinforces the reliability of the method in conditions similar to clinical practice.

Proper treatment can save lives

According to Infosalusfrom the University of Reading spin-off company, Astratus Limited, Dr Oliver Hancox emphasizes that current methods may be late in some cases. “By the time the lab returns the result, the patient may have already finished their antibiotics or been given antibiotics that don’t work,” he explains.

In his opinion, having a response on the same day would allow start appropriate treatment earlier. This could reduce serious complications such as sepsis and help curb antibiotic resistance.

From the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), Professor Mike Lewis highlights the double impact of this innovation: “This NIHR-funded research not only has the potential to provide faster and more effective treatments to patients suffering from urinary tract infections, but also addresses the broader challenge of antimicrobial resistance“.

Urinary infections are one of the most frequent causes of antibiotic prescription in the healthcare system. According to NHS data, they have caused more than 800,000 hospital admissions in England in the last five yearsand about a quarter of the samples analyzed contain bacteria resistant to commonly used antibiotics.

Professor Matthew Inada-Kim, consultant emergency physician and researcher at the University of Southampton, explains to Infosalus the practical value of the advance: “Urinary tract infections are a common cause of patients needing antibiotics, and Getting the right treatment from the beginning could save their lives“He adds that a rapid tool based on routine samples “could change the way we manage these infections in practice.”