System developed for rapid antimicrobial testing
The world’s first multidimensional antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) system has been developed by researchers in Hong Kong.
A team at Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has developed technology that can provide information about drug resistant pathogens present in patients. The technology could help the fight against antibiotic resistance as doctors can use the platform to determine the appropriate dosage of antibiotics needed for effective treatment.
The fully-automated system is faster and more accurate than current AST methods and can be run at a much lower cost. It’s hoped that the technology will reduce antibiotic misuse by providing doctors with a precise prescription.
The technology utilises a hydrogel microfluidic chip which simulates the drug diffusion process and the killing of pathogenic bacteria inside the human body. The system requires a small amount of fluid which is treated with different antibiotics once placed on the chip. It then takes around four hours to indicate the effectiveness of the antibiotic treatment and whether it’s needed.
Clinicians currently assess a patient’s suspected bacterial infection according to their experience. Current ASTs help doctors assess patients’ antimicrobial susceptibility, but results can take a few days to obtain.
Dr Ren Kangning, assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at HKBU who led the research, said: “Our new method can analyse bacterial morphology and quantity under the microscope. It takes only four hours to obtain accurate AST data, and with this new method the treatment process can be faster and more accurate. Doctors will first evaluate the patient and then analyse a small amount of their body fluid using the new system. Based on the results, the antibiotic (or a combination thereof) with the lowest susceptibility, the best efficacy, and the most appropriate dosage will be selected for the patient. Hence, we can achieve better therapeutic performance and slow down the process of antibiotic resistance.”
Dr Ren explained that the current treatment process can also stimulate antimicrobial resistance due to misuse or overuse of antibiotics. Since doctors can prescribe a wide range of antibiotics to speed-up treatment, this can kill harmless bacteria and accelerate antibiotic resistance.
The university’s new system uses microfluidic technology and is able to simulate the synergistic effects of multiple drugs and the dynamic changes of different substances in the human body. The ability to automate the test can also reduce possible errors from human manipulation and observation.