{"id":21696,"date":"2024-07-02T06:54:48","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T06:54:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clinlabint.com\/?p=21696"},"modified":"2024-07-02T12:42:03","modified_gmt":"2024-07-02T12:42:03","slug":"novel-dna-based-method-revolutionises-sepsis-diagnosis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clinlabint.com\/novel-dna-based-method-revolutionises-sepsis-diagnosis\/","title":{"rendered":"Novel DNA-based method revolutionises sepsis diagnosis"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Novel DNA-based method revolutionises sepsis diagnosis<\/h1>\/ in E-News<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/header>\n<\/div><\/section>
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Researchers from Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB and partners have developed a groundbreaking approach to identify pathogens in sepsis patients, potentially reducing mortality rates and improving treatment outcomes. The team has been awarded the 2024 Stifterverband Science Prize for their innovative work.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Overcoming limitations of traditional methods<\/h4>\n

Current sepsis diagnosis typically relies on mass spectrometry following blood culture, a process hindered by low pathogen concentrations and time constraints. The new method, inspired\u00a0 by forensic techniques, analyses genetic traces left by pathogens in the blood, circumventing these limitations.<\/p>\n

The process involves:<\/strong>
\n1. Isolation of DNA fragments from blood samples
\n2. High-throughput sequencing of up to 30 million fragments
\n3. Bioinformatic analysis comparing non-human DNA to a
\nspecialised pathogen genome database<\/p>\n

Clinical efficacy<\/h4>\n

Multiple studies have demonstrated the method\u2019s superiority over traditional techniques, with pathogen identification rates reaching 70% in studied patients. Dr Philip Stevens, CEO of Noscendo GmbH, reported: \u201cOur diagnostic method has helped over 6,000 patients in the past four years alone. Patients are able to leave the hospital much faster and have fewer long-term effects.\u201d The new approach significantly reduces time-to-result compared to blood cultures. Dr Silke Grumaz, Chief Scientific Officer at Noscendo, said: \u201cWe generally get results within 24 hours after the blood sample arrives at our lab. If a hospital doesn\u2019t use the method itself, the logistics can take another 12 hours. In most cases, that\u2019s still faster than any blood culture can deliver results.\u201d<\/p>\n

Interdisciplinary collaboration<\/h4>\n

The method\u2019s development resulted from more than a decade of collaboration between Fraunhofer IGB, clinical networks, and biotech company Noscendo. This partnership facilitated the translation of research into clinical practice, with Noscendo providing a channel for hospitals to access the technology.<\/p>\n

Future directions<\/h4>\n

The research team is now exploring applications in paediatric intensive care, where limited blood volume poses additional diagnostic challenges. They are also investigating the method\u2019s potential for diagnosing localised infections and its applicability to other bodily fluids and tissue samples.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
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From top left to bottom right:<\/em>
\nDr Kai Sohn (Fraunhofer IGB), <\/em>Dr Silke Grumaz and Dr Philip Stevens (both from Noscendo GmbH), and Prof. Thorsten Brenner (University Hospital Essen) <\/em>\u00a9 Fraunhofer \/ Piotr Banczerowski<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>
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