Can detect sepsis in a few hours

Early studies at King's College London (UK) show that a simple blood test can quickly diagnose blood infections in just a few hours and promises to save thousands of lives.

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Current blood testing techniques for the fastest results are 2 days and this may delay the selection of appropriate antibiotics for patients - which are very important in treatment. In a study published in the medical journal Plos One, the researchers said they identified a biomarker in blood samples that quickly diagnosed a blood infection. Accordingly, they rely on the composition of nucleic acids (including DNA and RNA) specific to the disease to eliminate diseases with similar symptoms.

A small study at a hospital in London and a larger study in Sweden demonstrated that this method can help diagnose the disease in just 2 hours, with an accurate rate of up to 86%.

According to lead researcher Professor Graham Lord, if this result is repeated in a larger trial, it could help save thousands of patients while reducing the use of unnecessary antibiotics. Although he thinks this method needs further research, he asserts that if successful, the new test may be applied by the National Health Service (NHS) in the next 2 years.

According to the BBC, sepsis is the more common cause of hospitalization, both with a heart attack and a higher death rate. The most common causes of severe septicemia are pneumonia, intestinal perforation, urinary tract infection and acute skin infection. Common symptoms of the disease are high fever, shortness of breath, weakness, fainting or delirium.