We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Alifax Presents First Automated System for Bacterial Culture and Susceptibility Testing at ECCMID 2022

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 22 Apr 2022

Image: Alfred 60AST is the first automated system for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing (Photo courtesy of Alifax)

Image: Alfred 60AST is the first automated system for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing (Photo courtesy of Alifax)

Alifax S.r.l. (Padua, Italy) presented the world’s first automated system for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing at the 32nd edition of the European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2022) held in Lisbon, Portugal on 23 - 26 April 2022. ECCMID has become one of the most comprehensive and influential congresses in the field of infection and an exciting networking place bringing together more than 14,000 colleagues from all over the world.

At this year’s ECCMID, Alifax presented Alfred 60AST, the first fully automated system able to perform bacterial culture, RAA and susceptibility testing by automating the whole process of sample inoculation, reading and result transmission. Using the patented technology based on light scattering it is able to detect the presence of bacteria and their drug resistance in a few hours with high sensitivity and specificity. The CE - IVD Marked Alfred 60AST monitors the growth phases of bacteria from the inoculum step into specific culture broths providing real time growth curves and quantitative bacterial count results in CFU/ml.

Alifax also demonstrated HB&L, the first analyzer for bacterial culture and susceptibility testing in human biological fluids and urine. HB&L is the first analyser able to perform bacterial culture, RAA test and susceptibility testing on samples such as urine, sterile or non sterile fluids and other biological samples. Using the patented technology based on light scattering it is able to detect the presence of bacteria and their drug resistance in a few hours with high sensitivity and specificity.

Related Links:
Alifax S.r.l.

Visit expo >

Gold Member

Nucleic Acid Extractor System

NEOS-96 XT

Online QC Software
Acusera 24•7

Automatic CLIA Analyzer

Shine i6000

Steam Sterilizer

Hi Vac II Line

Latest ECCMID 2022 News

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel

Blood Biomarker May Signal Cognitive Decline Risk a Decade Before Symptoms

Accurately identifying which cognitively healthy older adults will later develop impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease remains difficult, as brain scans and genetic testing provide only part of the risk picture.... Read more

Graphical Abstract (Image Credit: Joohyung Park et al., Chemical Engineering Journal, 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.cej.2026.179140)

Ultrasensitive Biosensor Detects Early Liver Fibrosis from Blood

Early diagnosis of liver fibrosis remains challenging because the condition often progresses without symptoms, while traditional assessments rely on invasive biopsy or costly imaging. Timely identification... Read more

Blood Test Improves Alzheimer’s Diagnosis Across Care Settings

Early and accurate identification of Alzheimer’s disease remains challenging in routine care, particularly outside memory clinics. Confirmation often depends on positron emission tomography (PET) imaging... Read more

New Immunoassay Enables Ultrasensitive Blood-Based Tau Tangle Measurement

Alamar Biosciences (Fremont, CA, USA) has introduced the first commercial immunoassay for enhanced microtubule binding region tau (eMTBR-Tau). The assay is available within the NULISAseq Neuro 220 multiplexed... Read more

Molecular Diagnostics

view channel

HPV Assay Gains Expanded CE Mark for Self-Collected Vaginal Samples

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and is largely preventable through vaccination and regular screening. However, even where organized screening programs exist, participation varies... Read more

Fully Automated Test Advances Hepatitis D Diagnosis and Monitoring

Hepatitis D virus infection can accelerate progression to cirrhosis and liver cancer, making timely diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring essential. Because hepatitis D depends on co-infection or superinfection... Read more

Blood Test Achieves Improved Detection of Advanced Precancerous Colorectal Lesions

Colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, yet screening uptake remains suboptimal. More than 50 million eligible adults are not up to date with recommended... Read more

Community-Based Genetic Screening Reaches Rural and Vulnerable Populations

Many adults inherit genetic changes that increase their risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease, yet access to testing often remains concentrated in large medical centers. Reaching rural and socially... Read more

Hematology

view channel

New Biomarkers Predict Resistance to Targeted Therapy in Rare Blood Cancer

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare and aggressive leukemia with limited treatment options and a poor prognosis. Although tagraxofusp is the first approved targeted therapy for... Read more

AI Decision Support System Guides Treatment Selection for Complex Blood Cancers

Treatment selection for hematologic malignancies often requires clinicians to synthesize clinical histories, genomic alterations, prior therapies, and rapidly evolving drug options. These complex decisions... Read more

Blood Test Helps Predict Short-Term Mortality After Severe Heart Attack

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is a severe heart attack caused by complete blockage of a coronary artery. Early risk stratification at hospital admission is challenging but essential for guiding... Read more

Next-Generation Hematology Platform Streamlines High-Complexity Lab Workflows

Sysmex America (Chicago, IL, USA) has introduced the next generation XR-Series, centered on the XR-10 Automated Hematology Module for high-complexity laboratories. The platform builds on the widely used... Read more

Immunology

view channel

Diagnostic Models Detect Hidden Eye Abnormalities After Mild COVID-19

Persistent ocular symptoms after COVID-19 can severely affect reading, work, and daily tasks, yet standard eye exams often reveal no clear abnormalities. Patients experiencing photophobia, eye pain, and... Read more

Anti-Lipid Antibody Biomarkers May Identify Early Lyme Disease and Persistent Symptoms

Lyme disease is often missed during its earliest and most treatable stage, while current serologic assays cannot distinguish active infection from prior exposure. Nearly half a million Americans are diagnosed... Read more

Emergency Department Opt-Out Testing Program Identifies Undiagnosed HIV

Undiagnosed HIV continues to drive avoidable morbidity and transmission, with many people identified only after substantial immune damage has occurred. In England, about one in 20 people living with HIV... Read more

Immune Biomarkers Could Identify Risk of Chronic Critical Illness on ICU Admission

Severe traumatic injury can trigger immune and organ dysfunction that complicates recovery in the intensive care unit. A subset of patients develop chronic critical illness, defined as dependence on intensive... Read more

Microbiology

view channel

Image: The addition builds on a QIAstat-Dx menu that also includes respiratory, gastrointestinal, and meningitis/encephalitis panels (Photo courtesy of Qiagen)

Rapid Panel Identifies Gram-Negative Pathogens and Resistance Markers in Bloodstream Infections

Bloodstream infections require rapid identification of causative pathogens and resistance mechanisms to guide effective therapy. Delays in profiling gram-negative organisms, which are frequently associated... Read more

Image: Graphical Abstract (Ahavi P, Hoang TN, Meyer P, et al. Cell Systems, 2026; doi:10.1016/j.cels.2026.101654)

Bacterial Growth Assay Predicts COVID-19 Severity From Plasma

COVID-19 presents with a wide clinical spectrum, from mild illness to severe, life-threatening disease. Early differentiation between patients likely to remain mild and those at risk of severe progression... Read more

Gut Microbiome Analysis Identifies Frailty-Related Signatures in Older Adults

Frailty in older adults is marked by increased vulnerability to disease, falls, functional decline, and death, yet its biological drivers remain incompletely understood. Because the gut microbiota influences... Read more

CE-Marked Blood Assay Automates Tuberculosis Infection Testing

Tuberculosis continues to pose a major global health challenge, with an estimated 10.7 million people falling ill and 1.23 million deaths in 2024. Roughly one quarter of the world’s population is believed... Read more

Pathology

view channel

Imaging Platform Maps Lipid Accumulations in Fabry Heart Tissue

Mapping the spatial distribution of disease-relevant molecules within tissue remains a diagnostic challenge, particularly before alterations are visible by conventional microscopy. In Fabry disease, a... Read more

Image credit: Adobe Stock

AI Tissue Imaging Helps Guide Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death, and many patients require rapid genotyping to guide targeted therapy selection. Current workflows often rely on molecular tests that are costly,... Read more

Image: Graphical Abstract (Yang Liu et al,. Cancer Cell (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2026.06.009)

Tissue-Based Gene Signature Signals Colorectal Cancer Recurrence Risk

Colorectal cancer remains a leading cause of cancer mortality, and many patients relapse despite apparently successful surgery and chemotherapy. Detecting minimal disease that persists after treatment... Read more

FDA-Approved Companion Diagnostic Detects PTEN Loss in Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among U.S. men, with more than 300,000 new cases and over 36,000 deaths each year. As targeted therapies emerge for biomarker-defined subgroups, laboratories need... Read more

Technology

view channel

Training Device Improves Accuracy of Pooled Molecular Diagnostics

High-throughput molecular diagnostics have transformed infectious disease detection, but many workflows remain difficult to execute accurately without extensive training. Sample pooling can cut per‑test... Read more

New CE-Certified Software Advances Whole-Genome Cancer Testing

European hospitals are increasingly using comprehensive tumor genomics to guide therapy, but routine whole genome sequencing (WGS) requires validated, regulation-compliant workflows. A newly CE-certified... Read more

National Rare Disease Registry Standardizes Genetic and Clinical Data for Coordinated Care

Rare diseases collectively impose a significant clinical burden despite their individual rarity, often involving multisystem presentations and prolonged diagnostic journeys. Limited specialist expertise... Read more

AI Platform Links Biomarker Results to Cancer Clinical Trials and Guidelines

Oncology teams must manage growing volumes of genomic data, rapidly evolving clinical trial options, and frequently updated care guidelines, all within tight clinic schedules. Translating complex tumor... Read more

Industry

view channel

Leica Biosystems to Expand Pathology Portfolio Through StatLab Acquisition

Leica Biosystems, an operating company of Danaher, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately held StatLab Medical Products from Linden Capital Partners and Audax Private Equity.... Read more

Seed Amplification Test Expands Access to Neurodegenerative Disease Testing

Amprion, Inc. has secured a multi-million-dollar growth investment from Decathlon Capital Partners to expand its diagnostic testing capacity for neurodegenerative diseases. The San Diego-based company... Read more

Natera’s Signatera Earns IVDR Certification for Solid Tumor MRD Testing

Natera’s Signatera has received certification as a Class C device under the European Union’s In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR), becoming the first personalized MRD test for solid tumors to achieve... Read more

Eurobio Scientific Completes Acquisition of CareDx Lab Products Division

Eurobio Scientific has closed the acquisition of CareDx AB in Sweden and its fully owned subsidiaries in the United States and Australia that constitute CareDx’s Lab Products division. The business will... Read more