Clostridium difficile is a leading cause of hospital-acquired diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. Infections typically occur when antibiotics disrupt the normal gut flora. Toxigenic strains of C. difficile produce toxins A and B, which are responsible for the symptoms of the infection. Diagnosing C. difficile can be complex because it is possible to carry the bacteria without it producing disease-causing toxins. All strains of C. difficile produce glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), making GDH testing a useful initial screen for the infection. However, additional tests are necessary since a GDH-positive result does not confirm if the strain is toxin-producing, which is necessary to determine if the patient has an active infection or is just a carrier. Now, a new test that provides results for both GDH and the toxins within approximately 30 minutes can help healthcare professionals accurately distinguish between active infection and colonization in a cost-effective and clinically relevant way. The C. ...
Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a severe neurological disorder classified under frontotemporal dementia (FTD) that impairs cognition, movement, and behavior. Thought to be caused by an accumulation of tau proteins that damage and kill cells, PSP presents symptoms such as poor balance with frequent backward falls and difficulties moving the eyes vertically. Often misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s disease, PSP progresses more rapidly and does not respond to Parkinson’s treatments. Most individuals with PSP pass away approximately seven years after symptoms begin, and frequently, the disease is only identified posthumously during an autopsy. Unlike Alzheimer’s, there are no tau scans, blood tests, or MRIs that can conclusively diagnose PSP, a fact that has hampered the development of treatments. Now, the discovery of a unique pattern of proteins in the spinal fluid of patients could lead to earlier diagnosis and the development of new treatments for PSP. In a study published in Neurology ...
Lyme disease, transmitted through tick bites, is a bacteria-caused illness that impacts 1.2 million individuals annually. The standard methods for diagnosing this disease include clinical examinations, visual evaluations, or immunological tests, all of which depend on the presence of advanced symptoms that might take months or even years to appear. Consequently, many cases remain untreated and undiagnosed early on, complicating treatment and leading to the severe, long-term impacts of Lyme disease. Now, a groundbreaking patented molecular diagnostic kit is poised to provide game-changing autonomous detection of Lyme disease within minutes. Presently, Lyme disease testing methods aim to identify antibodies produced by the body in reaction to the infection. However, since the development of these antibodies can take several weeks, tests performed soon after infection often yield false negatives. En Carta Diagnostics (Paris, France) has developed a molecular diagnostic platform that effectively addresses this issue. This platform, which utilizes a simple ...
Blood drawing is performed billions of times each year worldwide, playing a critical role in diagnostic procedures. Despite its importance, clinical laboratories are dealing with significant staff shortages, which impact their ability to deliver timely test results and maintain satisfactory patient care. Now, an innovative robotic blood drawing device for the medical laboratory market could help ease staff workload and provide a more consistent patient experience. Developed by Vitestro (Utrecht, The Netherlands), this innovative blood-drawing device is designed to perform safe and accurate blood draws. It utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) for ultrasound-guided 3D reconstruction and ensures submillimeter precision in needle insertion. This high level of accuracy and consistency in blood collection is achieved through a combination of AI, advanced imaging technologies, and robotics. By automating blood draws, Vitestro’s device not only reduces the physical demand on staff but also enhances the satisfaction of both patients and healthcare providers. The ...
GenMark Diagnostics (Carlsbad, CA, USA), a member of the Roche Group (Basel, Switzerland), has rebranded its ePlex® system as the cobas eplex system. This rebranding under the globally renowned cobas name underscores Roche’s dedication to ongoing enhancement across its entire product line, encompassing everything from raw materials and manufacturing to quality control. The cobas eplex system has been redesigned with new features that enhance usability, reliability, and serviceability. Notable improvements include onboard quality control tracking and monitoring, eSignature capabilities, onboard epidemiology reports, email alerts, and customizable comments to support clinical decisions. Additionally, GenMark has refined its cartridge manufacturing processes, ensuring an adequate supply and enhanced validity. The system offers tests for infectious diseases, focusing on panels for respiratory and bloodstream infections, which can progress to sepsis, and the company is developing panels for gastrointestinal infections, meningitis, and encephalitis. The cobas eplex system integrates the entire order-to-report process to maximize the ...
The COVID pandemic has dramatically reshaped the perception of diagnostics. Post the pandemic, a groundbreaking device that combines sample collection and processing into a single, easy-to-use disposable unit could revolutionize the way samples are collected for diagnostic tests. ReadyGo Diagnostics’ (Bath, UK) Sampler device incorporates both the swab and collection buffers into one device, making it exceptionally user-friendly. It is the world’s first universal tool of its kind that ensures convenience, reliability, and reproducibility right from the initial step of a diagnostic test. The patented technology behind the ReadyGo Sampler uses specially engineered materials that not only allow the device to collect the exact amount of sample required instantly but also rapidly break open viruses and bacteria, making them readily detectable in specific tests. The ReadyGo Sampler device is intended to be a more user-oriented alternative to conventional swab-based sample collection methods by combining sample collection and processing into one ...
Gonorrhea ranks as the second most commonly reported bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI), with around 82 million global cases in 2020. The infection can lead to severe health consequences like pelvic inflammatory disease, chronic pelvic pain, and infertility. Many patients may not show symptoms, leading to underreported cases and highlighting the need for more accessible, accurate, and cost-effective diagnostic solutions. Now, a new point-of-care test aims to expand access to STI testing by providing affordable, accurate, and convenient diagnosis. Scout (Santa Clara, CA, USA) is developing the STI Scout test to identify and distinguish between Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Ng) and Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct). This new test delivers results in just 30 minutes at a cost expected to be less than half that of current testing methods. STI Scout can use either first void urine samples or vaginal swabs. The test runs on the Scout Hub device and is integrated with the ...
Artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms are increasingly being utilized in various clinical settings, such as dermatology. These algorithms are developed by training a computer with hundreds of thousands or millions of images of various skin conditions, each labeled with details like the diagnosis and patient outcomes. Through a process known as deep learning, the computer learns to identify patterns in the images that are indicative of specific skin diseases, including cancers. Once sufficiently trained, the algorithm can suggest potential diagnoses based on new images of a patient’s skin. However, these algorithms do not operate in isolation; they are used under the supervision of clinicians who evaluate the patient, make their own diagnostic assessments, and decide whether to follow the algorithm’s recommendations. Now, a new study led by researchers at Stanford Medicine (Stanford, CA, USA) has found that AI algorithms, which utilize deep learning, can enhance the accuracy of diagnosing skin cancers. ...
While PCR tests are the gold standard of accuracy for virology testing, they come with limitations such as complexity, the need for skilled lab operators, and longer result times. They also require complex chemical reactions which are crucial for amplifying viral DNA or RNA, a process that involves generating multiple copies of the genetic material that can also create and amplify error. Additionally, PCR tests can detect only nucleic acids, the material comprising DNA and RNA, but can be of great use in detecting other biomarkers such as proteins in the case of certain diseases. Now, a groundbreaking diagnostic system offers the ability to accurately identify SARS-CoV-2 and Zika virus with a precision matching or surpassing that of PCR tests, but significantly reducing the time and complexity involved in diagnosis. The new system developed at UC Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz, CA, USA) in collaboration with the Texas Biomedical Research Institute ...
A new fully automated multiplexing molecular diagnostic platform offers an innovative and cost-effective testing approach by allowing customization of tests along with the ability to process and pay for desired results, thus enabling laboratories to maximize testing efficiencies. Diasorin’s (Saluggia, Italy) new LIAISON PLEX platform provides complete flexibility for the customization of syndromic panels and helps overcome the challenge of the “one size fits all” approach faced by clinical laboratory staff for infectious disease syndromic diagnostics. Custom panels enable adjustments in response to seasonal changes and updates in clinical guidelines, helping prevent unnecessary and costly over-testing – a common issue with fixed, broad syndromic panels currently in use. The user-friendly, fully automated sample-to-answer system offers a streamlined workflow and room-temperature stable consumables, simplifying storage and transport logistics. Additionally, it requires just two minutes of hands-on time per sample and can deliver results in less than two hours. The LIAISON PLEX, ...
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