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A Finnish-based biotechnology firm has said its bacteria test sets a world record because it can detect 50 dangerous types at once, including the resistant pathogen MRSA.
Mobidiag said the Prove-it bacteria test would be especially useful in battling MRSA.
The blood infection is responsible for growing numbers of deaths across the world. There are about three million cases a year, with more than 500,000 deaths.
Sepsis treatment is reliant on starting treatment with the right antibiotics before the infection gets too serious.
Current tests using blood cultures can diagnose which pathogens are causing the disease within two to five days, after which the correct antibiotic can be chosen.
Mobidiag CEO Jaakko Pellosniemi said the test could identify bacteria one to three days earlier than current techniques.
The test uses polymerase chain reaction and microarray techniques to give results in less than three hours, Mr Pellosniemi said.
The time saved would mean the right antibiotics could be given to patients earlier, giving them a better chance of survival.
Mr Pellosniemi added: “The test helps clinicians make better and faster decisions and provide sufficient treatment for seriously ill patients. ”
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