Microplate DX is a spinout company from the University of Strathclyde that has developed a point-of-care diagnostic platform for rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing. The platform can confirm the presence of bacteria and guide a patient’s doctor to effective treatment by rapidly identifying effective antibiotics to use and which ones to avoid. Please see their interview with Odelle Technology here
The platform combines novel hardware with proprietary data processing algorithms to analyse the growth and metabolism of bacteria in urine samples. The platform uses a disposable cartridge that contains a microplate with 96 wells, each containing a different antibiotic or control solution. A urine sample is added to the cartridge, which is then inserted into the device. The device measures the optical density and fluorescence of each well and uses machine learning to interpret the data and generate a report on the type and susceptibility of bacteria within an hour.
Microplate DX’s technology aims to tackle the global health threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by enabling the optimum antibiotic to be prescribed by a clinician in minutes rather than days. The company has secured significant seed funding to scale-up development of its product and conduct clinical trials in 2024/25. The company’s initial focus is on urinary tract infections (UTIs), but the technology has the potential to be applied to other key drug-resistant infections in the future.
This technology will help in the fight against antimicrobial resistance by enabling faster and more accurate diagnosis of bacterial infections and their susceptibility to antibiotics. This will allow doctors to prescribe the most effective antibiotic for each patient, reducing the need for broad-spectrum antibiotics that can promote resistance. It will also improve patient outcomes, lower healthcare costs, and prevent the spread of resistant bacteria
One of the current scientific approaches to fighting antibiotic resistance is to target a protein in bacteria that helps fold resistance proteins into the right shapes to neutralise antibiotics. By inhibiting this protein, called DsbA, researchers have found a way to impair antibiotic-resistant bacteria that cause human disease, such as E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. This could offer a new way to treat resistant infections using existing antibiotics.
Another current scientific approach is to develop new diagnostic tests that can quickly and accurately identify the type and susceptibility of bacteria causing infections and guide the appropriate use of antibiotics. For example, a rapid test for urinary tract infections has been developed by researchers at the University of Bath, which can detect the presence and resistance of E. coli in urine samples in less than 15 minutes. This could help reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions and improve patient outcomes.
As for the current efforts in healthcare systems, the European Commission and the WHO Regional Office for Europe have jointly published a report on antimicrobial resistance surveillance in Europe, which provides a pan-European overview of the AMR situation in the region, featuring data from 2020.
The report shows that AMR is widespread and varies widely depending on the bacterial species, antimicrobial group and geographical region. The report also highlights the need for greater efforts and investments to strengthen One Health national action plans on AMR, reinforce surveillance and monitoring, strengthen infection prevention and control, and promote antimicrobial stewardship and prudent use.
In June 2023, the Council adopted a Recommendation on stepping up EU actions to combat antimicrobial resistance in a One Health approach, which extends and complements the 2017 EU One Health Action Plan against AMR.
The Recommendation aims to enhance coordination and cooperation among Member States, EU agencies and international organisations, and to support the implementation of evidence-based policies and interventions to tackle AMR.
Yes, I know some facts about antibiotic resistance and the difference between viruses and bacteria. Antibiotic resistance is a serious global health threat that occurs when bacteria change in a way that makes antibiotics less effective against them. This can make infections harder to treat and increase the risk of disease spread, severe illness, and death.
One of the main causes of antibiotic resistance is the misuse and overuse of antibiotics, which can happen when people take antibiotics for viral infections (such as colds, flu, or COVID-19) that do not respond to antibiotics, or when they do not follow the prescribed dosage and duration of treatment.
Therefore, it is important to differentiate between viruses and bacteria, which are two types of microorganisms that can cause infections. Viruses are not living organisms and can only grow and reproduce inside the cells of a host, while bacteria are single-celled organisms that can live inside or outside a body. While both can cause disease, bacteria also serve other vital and healthful roles in nature, such as decomposing organic matter, aiding in digestion, and converting nitrogen to chemicals usable by plants
To use antibiotics correctly, you should only take them when they are prescribed by a doctor for a bacterial infection, and follow the instructions on how to take them, how much to take, and for how long. You should not share your antibiotics with others, save them for later, or take antibiotics prescribed for someone else. You should also tell your doctor and pharmacist about any other medications and supplements you are taking, as they may interact with the antibiotics and affect their effectiveness or cause side effects
According to the latest reports from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the WHO Regional Office for Europe, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a major public health concern in the European region, with estimates from the EU/EEA alone showing that each year more than 670 000 infections are due to bacteria resistant to antibiotics and approximately 33 000 people die as a direct consequence1. The reports also show that AMR is widespread and varies widely depending on the bacterial species, antimicrobial group and geographical region, with a general north-to-south and west-to-east gradient of higher resistance in the southern and eastern parts of Europe.
In the UK, the latest data published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reveals that the estimated total number of serious antibiotic resistant infections in England rose by 2.2% in 2021 compared to 2020, with an average of 148 cases per day. The most common types of resistant bacteria were E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus, which together accounted for 77% of all cases. The UKHSA also reported that the percentage of resistant infections in the community increased from 12.5% in 2015 to 15.8% in 2021, while the percentage of resistant infections in hospitals decreased from 22.9% to 20.6% in the same period.