A recent product of note is the BlackLight® Sepsis Kit, which is currently under clinical evaluation. The sepsis detection kit has been extensively tested on real hospital samples, which have led to recognition of both common and rarer pathogens. Sepsis is a condition that occurs when there is a system inflammatory response to a microbial infection. According to the Sepsis Alliance (a charitable organization dedicated to combating sepsis), American hospitals spend approximately $20 billion each year combating the deadly condition, which is often linked to infections such as appendicitis or pneumonia. Currently, about 40 percent of patients diagnosed with a serious case of sepsis do not survive. Nearly 1,400 people worldwide die each day from this toxic condition.
According to BlackBio, the increased sepsis rates can be attributed to an increase in organ transplants and other surgeries that require suppression of the immune system. Additionally, a growing elderly population and the overuse of antibiotics has created drug-resistant bacteria are other reasons for the increase in sepsis.
Early detection is considered the best chance for sepsis survival, and BlackBio seeks to help increase this early detection with their early detection kit.
How It Works
With a minimal sample size and diagnosis completed in less than four hours, the cost-competitive, easy-to-use kit is designed to identify the species of bacteria by generating sequences covering three regions of the 16S ribosomal DNA. When these sequences are compared with the kit’s included database, the microorganism causing the infection can be identified in a timely manner. This early detection could reduce sepsis death by half proper treatment is administered within 48 hours.
To learn more about BlackBio’s BlackLight Sepsis detection kit and their other technologies, please visit www.blackbio.eu. BlackBio presented its products and technologies at OneMedForumSF January 9-12.