A chip for rapid routine microbial diagnosis
Diagnosis of infection is usually a lengthy process that requires cultivation and identification of the infectious microorganism. In the meantime, the patient may be prescribed broad-range antibiotics that often prove to be inefficient. The EU-funded PARCIVAL (Partner network for a clinically validated multi-analyte lab-on-a-chip platform) initiative has developed an automated multi-analyte lab-on-a-disk platform. This identifies pathogens at the bedside and also assesses the severity of infection by analysing antibiotic resistance patterns and biomarkers. Additionally, in the case of unknown infections, clinicians will be able to analyse the patient's immune responses. After a careful specification phase where interfaces and communication channels were identified, the researchers went on to develop and integrate the components. In all, assays developed included 27 targeting atypical pathogens, 8 for typical pathogens, 9 resistance markers and 1 internal control. Partners also developed the nucleic acid extraction method with replication technology as well as a sampling device and required disposables for microfluidic tests. Five prototypes were created with specially designed software for presentation of the results. Clinical validation and feedback were scheduled for after the project closed due to unexpected delays. The features of the PARCIVAL system will increase the diagnostic information for doctors in everyday situations and emergencies, and lead to evidence-based therapeutic decisions. By selecting the most suitable treatment for each case, they will minimise the prescription of ineffective regimens and reduce the risk of creating antibiotic-resistant pathogen strains.
Keywords
Microbial diagnosis, infection, multi-analyte, lab-on-a-chip, antibiotic resistance
