The UK’s first, the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulation Authority (MHRA) and the BARTS Health NHS Trust have developed a DNA sequencing approach that can be implemented in hospitals in the field, allowing for faster and more accurate diagnosis of bacterial infections.
DNA sequencing helps physicians provide faster and better targeted treatments.
For patients, this means faster recovery, fewer complications such as sepsis, and lower risk of spreading the infection to others.
How quickly can the results reduce antibiotic resistance?
It is currently being piloted to investigate and prevent hospital outbreaks caused by antibiotic-resistant “super bugs.”
A new approach ensures that DNA sequencing methods can reliably detect which bacteria are causing the infection, and that which antibiotics are best for treating them.
This approach provides results within 2 days, is significantly faster than traditional methods, takes about 7 days and takes up to 8 weeks in some difficult cases.
Antibiotic resistance has become a serious global threat, causing at least 1 million deaths each year since 1990. Without urgent action, global studies on the Antibacterial Resistance (GRAM) project predict that drug-resistant infections could claim more than 39 million lives between now and 2050.
To speed up accurate detection of pathogens and rapidly identify those resistant to antibiotics, we focus on optimizing and standardizing this new DNA sequencing hospital service, allowing replicating elsewhere.
Since September 2024, over 2000 patient samples have been analyzed using approaches at seven London hospitals including Royal London, Whips Cross, Newham, St. Bartholomew, Homerton, Lewisham and Greenwich.
Integrate DNA sequences into hospital practices
The goal is to rapidly DNA sequence the routine parts of hospital diagnosis across the NHS, leading to faster and more accurate infection testing for patients across the country.
Health Minister Ashley Dalton explained: “The groundbreaking use of technology in hospitals reduces diagnosis time from weeks to just two days, allowing doctors to provide appropriate treatment faster and combat the increased threat of antibiotic resistance.
“As we move from analog to digital, we are offering practical solutions to the NHS. This will improve patient care and help frontline staff function more effectively.”
The success of this new service, run by BARTS Health, is the MHRA’s work in developing carefully managed samples recognized by the World Health Organization, ensuring patients receive a consistent and reliable diagnosis.
Provides quick and efficient diagnostics
MHRA is currently working on standardizing its technology, paving the way for wider adoption of the NHS. This means that more hospitals can benefit from a quick and accurate bacterial infection diagnosis and prevent the use of unnecessary broad-spectrum antibiotics.
“The pilots have demonstrated that this new technology is already making a real difference in patients’ lives,” says Dr. Chrysi Sergaki, director of the MHRA’s microbiota.
“If someone is hospitalized with a serious infection, they count every hour. Instead of waiting days or weeks to accurately identify the cause of the infection, so that the hospital can get a response within 48 hours,
“This means that doctors can begin appropriate treatment sooner, helping patients recover faster and return to their families.”
Source link
