Scientists at Newcastle Hospitals are part of a national trial involving a new approach to rapidly diagnosing the cause of respiratory infections using genomics, bringing faster and more accurate results.
Infections which affect the lungs, such as bronchitis and pneumonia, are the fourth biggest killers worldwide and speedy diagnosis is critical to guide effective treatment and recovery.
However, diagnosing the cause of infection can be difficult. Currently, scientists take a sample from a patient and then attempt to grow bacteria, fungi, or viruses that may be present, a process which can take days.
The trial involves scientists at the North East Innovation Lab, and microbiologists virologists and the intensive care departments at Newcastle Hospitals. The work aims to implement new metagenomics technology to extract genetic information from the organisms called pathogens which cause infection, which allows much faster analysis of any bacteria, fungus or virus, with results available in a few hours.
Simon Rock, principal scientist at the North East Innovation Lab said: “This new approach not only speeds up the diagnosis but also allows scientists to identify if the organism causing the disease is resistant to any antibiotics. This is really important for guiding the most effective therapy and treatment for patients who are critically ill.”
He added: “This technology can be applied to diseases we already know about, but it can also help with pathogen surveillance to identify new causes of disease, making us much better equipped to deal with future outbreaks or fast-spreading diseases.”
Dr Manoj Valappil, consultant virologist at Newcastle Hospitals, said: “The new technology has the potential to identify all pathogens present in a sample at once, including some of which aren’t currently detected by standard testing.”
“Accessing such comprehensive information will help to inform targeted treatment decisions for critically ill patients.”
If the trial proves successful, the new genome testing service could be rolled out next year.
The trial, believed to be the first of its kind, is led by Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust in London and funded by NHS England and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
