Respiratory tract infection test reduces antibiotic use
Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) place a huge burden on healthcare systems around the world. They include acute respiratory infections, which are responsible for 4.2 million deaths a year and are among the leading causes of death in children under five years old, mainly through pneumonia. The objective of the C4L (Chips for life) project was to develop a panel of dedicated rapid diagnostic tests, enabling medical staff to link antibiotic prescription to evidence-based diagnosis. Researchers developed a series of tests based on one-tube multi-parameter molecular amplification of viral and bacterial respiratory pathogens and resistance markers. Two multiplex diagnostic tests were developed to rapidly detect the agents responsible for respiratory disease, including the presence of genes encoding antibiotic resistance markers and virulence factors. The first test detected respiratory parameters of interest, while the second detected a limited number of pathogens (6 viruses and 2 bacteria) in a microfluidic chip allowing polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence detection of amplified products. The C4L test will allow users to distinguish between a viral and a bacterial infection within a few hours, resulting in more appropriate treatments. The appropriate decision concerning the cause of infection will reduce the use of antibiotics, giving less opportunity for resistance to emerge and reducing healthcare expenditure. In addition, the test will dramatically improve the turnaround time for results by enabling screening for pathogens within a single working day.
Keywords
Respiratory tract infection, antibiotic resistance, C4L, diagnostic tests, resistance markers