Key Summary
- A new test can detect Urinary Tract Infection in just 6 hours, much faster than current methods.
- It helps doctors choose the right antibiotic quickly, improving treatment.
- Faster diagnosis could prevent serious complications like kidney damage or sepsis.
A new test for urinary tract infection (UTI) delivers results in six hours, and help doctors decide on the right antibiotic, has been developed, claim researchers.
A joint study by researchers of University of Reading, University of Southampton and Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust have developed this new testing method, BBC reports.
A cartridge of fine tubes, each pre-loaded with different antibiotics, is dipped into the urine sample and loaded into an instrument. Optical imaging is carried out in each tube has a bacterial growth.
If the growth is blocked, that antibiotic works against the infection. If bacteria continue to grow, it does not. That will help doctors decide which drug to prescribe.
The current laboratory testing takes two to three days.
Quick results would enable doctors begin the right treatment sooner and help avoid complications caused by delayed treatment.
UTI is a common illness caused by bacteria entering the urethra, seen mainly among women in the UK.
UTI is an easily curable infection, however, it can be extremely dangerous if left unattended.
Kidney damage, fatal sepsis, etc. are some of the risks of ignoring UTI. It can even lead to premature delivery in pregnant women.
