Deadly Meningitis could soon be diagnosed in just two hours thanks to revolutionary test
The infections targeted kill thousands of Brits every year, often within hours of symptoms appearing
A REVOLUTIONARY new two hour test could spot deadly infections, including meningitis, before they kill.
British scientists are developing the test - which detects bugs like sepsis, meningitis and pneumonia – and say it could be available on the NHS within five years.
Identifying whether a patient has a bacterial or viral infection is tricky for doctors and it can take two days for tests on blood and spinal fluid to come back.
The infections targeted kill thousands of Brits every year - often within hours of symptoms appearing – and sick kids are often dosed up with antibiotics just in case it is bacterial.
The new test could mean doctors are able to vet genetic activity as soon as a patient arrives at hospital allowing them use drugs more quickly and accurately.
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Scientists studied 240 young children rushed to hospital with fever.
They took blood and spinal fluid samples to test and then analysed the two genes - called IFI44L and FAM89A - to see if they were switched on.
The results, published in the Journal of the American Medical association, showed the genes were only active if bacteria were present.
If it was a viral infection, they stayed dormant.
Researcher Prof Mike Levin, from Imperial College London, said the discovery could mean no more cases where a child is sent home from hospital with a 'virus', only to later die from deadly bacteria.
He said: “This research is at an early stage but the results show bacterial infection can be distinguished from other causes of fever, using the pattern of genes that are switched on or off.
“The challenge is now to transform our findings into a diagnostic test that can be used in hospitals or GP surgeries, to identify those children who need antibiotics.”
Meningitis: The warning signs
Meningitis can affect any age group, but is more common in babies and young children
If the bacteria invades their body, their immune system cannot provide resistance to fight off infection
Symptoms of meningitis develop suddenly and can include:
- A high temperature over 37.5C (99.5F)
- Vomiting and headache
- A blotchy rash that doesn't fade when a glass is rolled over it (this won't always develop)
- A stiff neck
- A dislike of bright lights
- Drowsiness or unresponsiveness
Babies may also:
- refuse feeds be agitated and not want to be picked up
- have a bulging soft spot on their head (fontanelle)
- be floppy or unresponsive
- have an unusual high-pitched cry have a stiff body
He added: “We have thousands of patients coming to A&E with a high fever every day and it is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
"Rather than trying to grow bacteria, we looked to see is there a particular pattern of genes in the blood stream that are switched on or off by infections.
"We were looking to see if the immune response is different in bacterial infections.
"This could be a real breakthrough in identifying children and adults with very serious infections.
"We want to see it moved forward into a test as soon as possible."
A spokeswoman for the Meningitis Research Foundation - which funded the study - said: “This latest development is very exciting.
“Bacterial meningitis and septicaemia can kill in hours.”
Meningitis B killed two-year-old girl in just 11 days
Faye Burdett’s parents shocked the nation by releasing a harrowing image of their two-year-old daughter suffering the horror disease in hospital days before she died.
The tot passed away after an 11-day battle with killer Meningitis B.
Neil and Jenny Burdett said they wanted to warn other parents of the dangers of the killer disease, which can be prevented by a simple jab – and hoped to urge the Government to offer it to all children, not just those of a certain age.
In an emotional interview the grieving parents desribed how their daughter was “torn away” as she was too old to receive the life-saving vaccination, which is only offered to babies between two and five months old.
By releasing the shocking image, the devastated parents hope to win a campaign to have the jab offered to kids of all ages.
The online petition on the Government website received the largest number of signatures in the NHS' history.
Meningitis can be very serious if not treated quickly and can cause life-threatening blood poisoning and permanent damage to the brain or nerves.
Without quick treatment sepsis, known as blood poisoning or septicaemia, can lead to multiple organ failure and death.
And pneumonia can be difficult to diagnose because it shares many symptoms with other conditions, such as the common cold, bronchitis and asthma.
Prof Levin added: "Fever is one of the most common reasons children are brought to medical care.
"However every year many children are sent away from emergency departments or doctors' surgeries because the medical team thinks they have a viral infection, when in fact they are suffering from life-threatening bacterial infections - which are often only diagnosed too late.
"Conversely, many other children are admitted to hospital and receive antibiotics because the medical team are unable to immediately exclude the possibility of a bacterial infection - but in fact they are suffering from a virus.
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