Scanning microscope image of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Author: CDC/ Janice Haney Carr. Wikimedia. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the leading causes of infections in hospitalized and immune compromised patients. It is a frequent cause of infections such as pneumonia, urinary tract infections and bacteremia (presence of bacteria in the blood), and a cause of infections in cystic fibrosis patients. It is also associated with a significant morbidity and mortality.
Standard available microbiological assays, based on cell cultures, are low sensitive, expensive and time consuming, requiring several days to provide results, which is a too long if a quick appropriate treatment is needed. Without rapid and specific diagnostic tools, and in doubt, broad spectrum antibiotics are often overused, which contributes to the antimicrobial resistance to these drugs.
Scientists from the CSIC’s Instituto de Química Avanzada de Cataluña, the Center CIBER-BBN Center of biomedical research and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, have developed an immune immunochemical method for specific identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is based on the use of polyclonal antibodies that detect, specifically, pyocyanin and related metabolites, which are secreted by this bacterium.
This method could be applied on different immunochemical analytical configurations, including microplate ELISA, test-strip, immunosensors or any other format suitable for further implementation on Point-of-Care (PoC) devices, will allow to make the test at or near the point of care.
Assay validation is being carried out in sputum, blood, endotracheal aspirates and bronchoalveolar lavage samples of infected patients. Among the advantages of the method, scientists point out the high sensitivity and specifity, as well as the feasible development of a fast and competitive test to be used in routine screening.
Contact:
Isabel Masip
Instituto de Química Avanzada de
Cataluña (IQAC)
Vicepresidencia Adjunta de Transferencia del Conocimiento- CSIC
Tel.: + 34 – 93 400 61 00