Ultra-Rapid Culture-Free Sepsis Test Reduces Testing Time from Days to Hours

Sepsis, a critical emergency condition, results from an overactive inflammatory response to pathogens like bacteria or fungi in the blood, leading to organ damage and the possibility of sudden death. It holds a 30-day mortality rate of over 30%, which is more than double that of heart attacks. Prompt administration of the correct antibiotic is vital for reducing this high mortality rate. To determine the best treatment, three independent tests are typically required: blood culture to confirm the infection, pathogen identification to pinpoint the specific infecting organism, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) to identify the most effective antibiotic. Currently, obtaining AST results, which are crucial for selecting the appropriate antibiotic, can take more than 2-3 days. Delays in these results contribute to inappropriate antibiotic use, accelerating the emergence of multidrug-resistant 'superbugs.' While advancements have shortened the timeframe needed for AST, no global progress has been made in reducing the time required for the blood culture process, which is the most time-consuming. Now, an ultra-rapid AST method that bypasses the need for traditional blood culture has demonstrated the potential to reduce the turnaround time of reporting drug susceptibility profiles by more than 40–60 hours compared with hospital AST workflows.

The ultra-Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (uRAST) developed by researchers from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Seoul National University (Seoul, Korea), in collaboration with QuantaMatrix Inc. (Seoul, Korea), is the world's first to bypass the lengthy blood culture phase, allowing for the completion of all necessary tests for an effective antibiotic regimen within a single day. The uRAST technology employs nanoparticles coated with immune proteins that specifically bind to pathogens, enabling the direct isolation of these pathogens from a patient's blood. The researchers have also integrated new technologies that rapidly conduct pathogen identification and AST, considerably speeding up the testing process. In a clinical trial involving 190 patients suspected of having sepsis, uRAST delivered complete test results within just 13 hours, slashing 40-60 hours off the time required by traditional diagnostic methods. Moreover, uRAST achieved accuracy levels that meet FDA standards.

Another significant aspect of this research published on July 25th in Nature is the integration of fully automated technology that consolidates all necessary sepsis diagnostics into one streamlined process. Traditionally, each test is performed separately and manually, causing delays—particularly outside of normal laboratory operating hours. For instance, if a blood culture is completed after-hours, further testing must wait until the next day, thus missing the critical window for effective sepsis intervention. This research demonstrated the potential for continuous, 24/7 diagnostic operations by automating the entire sequence of necessary tests for sepsis, significantly improving the prospects for timely patient care.

Related Links:
Seoul National University
QuantaMatrix Inc.

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