A collaborated effort between researchers at the University of Edinburgh and NHS Lothian has resulted in the development of a procedure that can be used to identify Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), an infectious bacterium that spreads rapidly from the infection site to vital organs.
The developed test can rapidly identify the presence of MRSA in wounds and involves the analysis of a swab taken from the wound site with electrical sensors. Currently, the swab samples need to be processed in the laboratory to ensure that enough bacteria is present before testing for MRSA, a step that could be eliminated by enhancing the sensitivity of the test strip. This will enable a testing process that is not confined to a laboratory, allowing for the test to be conducted in patient’s homes and GP practices.
The time taken by laboratory tests to confirm the presence of MRSA using conventional processes takes a whole day. Determining the presence of MRSA faster than conventional tests will enable doctors to more effectively and rapidly treat the patient by prescribing more effective drugs.
The researchers used swabs procured from the foot ulcers of diabetic patients at the Diabetic Foot Clinic to develop the test. In diabetic patients, if the spread of the MRSA infection cannot be detected and controlled in time, it can lead to death or amputation of limbs.
The £2.26 million funding for the research was provided by the Large Scale Research and Development Programme of the Scottish Enterprise, with inputs from the Scottish Microelectronics Centre and the University’s Division of Pathway Medicine.
Source: http://www.ed.ac.uk/