Technique For Early Detection Of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in the USA, Pseudomonas aeruginosa accounts for 10 per cent of all hospital infections.
While the superbug is very difficult to cure as it is highly resistant to antibiotics, early detection makes a huge difference to a patient's chances of survival.
Now for the first time, the University of Sunderland - led team has discovered a technique that can identify the superbug within 24-48 hours of infection, greatly increasing a patient's chances of survival.
The team is led by Professor Paul Groundwater and Dr Roz Anderson at the University of Sunderland, in collaboration with colleagues Professor John Perry, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, Professor Arthur James, Northumbria University and Dr Sylvain Orenga, bioMérieux, France
Prof Groundwater says: "This superbug has a massive impact on people who are immunocompromised, for example patients with severe burns, cancer and AIDS.
"It is calculated that 28 per cent of people who have undergone transplant surgery are infected by pseudomonas aeruginosa. We hope our research will make a big difference in the survival rate of many thousands of vulnerable people throughout the world.
