The Puigvert Foundation of Barcelona has tested a new test that can identify bacteria in urine in just 45 minutes, which will allow treatment to be refined more quickly than with current analysis systems.
“It is a brutal change because it will allow much more adjustment of antibiotic treatments,” explained the head of the Microbiology Laboratory of the Puigvert Foundation. Carles Alonso-Tarrés.
A new clinical study has demonstrated the effectiveness of the Sysmex PA-100 AST Test System in detecting bacteriuria, the presence of bacteria in urine, and performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). in just 45 minutes.
This technology, evaluated for the first time at the Puigvert Foundation, promises to transform the diagnosis and treatment of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and thus, Optimizing the use of antibiotics and reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Alonso-Tarres stressed that urinary tract infections “are a very significant problem for many women throughout their lives” and with this new test the advantage is that “targeted treatment can be administered within 45 minutes.”
So, this test will tell the doctor which is “the best antibiotic to administer to the patient in 45 minutes, compared to the 2 or 3 days that conventional tests take.”
Current times often force the doctor not to wait for the results and to prescribe a “broad spectrum” antibiotic treatment, which covers all microorganisms. However, with this new system that gives results in 45 minutes, the doctor will be able to “refine much more and stop giving a broad spectrum treatment “Prescribe only what the patient needs,” Alonso-Tarré added.
In the study, published in the journal European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Sysmex PA-100 AST results were compared with routine microbiological methods in 278 patients with suspected uncomplicated urinary tract infection.
“The results show that this new tool provides bacteriuria results in 15 minutes and AST results in 45 minutes, with a sensitivity of 84% and a specificity of 99.4% for bacterial species within the analyzer’s specifications, which are species that are ‘common causes of uncomplicated UTIs.'” according to Alonso-Tarres.
Specifically, the analyzer is designed to identify the bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus saprophyticus.
From these, the system studies resistance or sensitivity to five antimicrobials: amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin and trimethoprim.
The results of the study confirm that the rapid test allows an optimal therapeutic recommendation in 80% of cases, thus reducing the prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics. The remaining 20% of cases will be resolved, to date, during the medical evaluation of each patient.
urine analysis
Urine analysis These are common diagnostic tests which are carried out to assess the health status of a person through the composition of their urine. These analyses allow the detection of various medical conditions, such as infections, kidney, liver or metabolic diseases, among others.
The procedure for a urine analysis is quite simple:
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- Sample collection: The patient provides a urine sample, usually in a sterile container. For the most accurate results, the sample is usually requested to be from the first urine of the morning or collected midstream (this is called a clean or intermediate urine sample).
- Laboratory analysis: Once obtained, the sample is subjected to various laboratory tests.
Urinalysis can diagnose and monitor various health problems, including:
Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs): Urinalysis is essential to detect the presence of bacteria, leukocytes or nitrites which indicate a urinary tract infection.
Kidney disease: Protein, blood, or crystals in the urine may signal kidney problems, such as kidney failure or stones.
Diabetes: High levels of glucose or ketones in the urine may be a sign of diabetes or a metabolic crisis.
Liver problems: Dark urine or urine containing high levels of bilirubin may indicate liver problems, such as hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Dehydration or electrolyte imbalance: Changes in electrolyte concentrations and the appearance of urine may indicate hydration problems or electrolyte imbalance.
Pregnancy check: The presence of hormones such as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the urine helps confirm pregnancy.
