SUFU 2018: Clinical Study Update on a Novel Ribosomal RNA-Based Rapid Diagnostic Method to Detect, Identify and Assess Antibiotic Susceptibility of Uropathogens

Austin, TX (UroToday.com)  The authors tested a novel tool capable of identifying bacteria and identify their sensitivities in only 3 hours. The ribosomal RNA-based rapid diagnostic tool was used in 106 urine specimens from patients presumed to have urinary tract infection based on their symptoms and point-of-care urine dipstick assessments.

They  correctly assessed the presence (66/72) or absence (34/34) of bacteria in 100/106 (94%) specimens. The six samples in which bacteria were present but not identified with the rapid testing protocol had bacterial concentrations below 10 cfu/ml. Antimicrobial susceptibilities correlated with the clinical microbiology lab results in 96% of cases. The availability of this technology to direct patient care would have avoided unnecessary treatment in 35% (6/17), ineffective treatment in 18% (3/17), and overtreatment in 24% (4/17) of patients treated empirically. Delayed treatment would have been avoided in 64% (57/89) of patients whose therapy was withheld pending culture results.

This initial pilot study confirms the reliability of this rapid diagnostic technology to correctly detect and identify uropathogens and to determine antibiotic susceptibilities within 180 minutes, directly from clinical urine specimens.


Presented by: Lauren N. Wood MD, University of California, Los Angeles

Co Authors: Melissa A. Markowitz BA1, Seth A. Cohen MD2, Andrew R. Medendorp MD1, Colin Halford 1, Gabriel Monti 1, Bernard M. Churchill MD1, David A. Haake MD1 and Ja-Hong Kim MD1
Author Information:
1. University of California, Los Angeles
2. City of Hope, Los Angeles, CA

Written by: Gamal Ghoniem, MD, FACS, FPMRS, Professor and Vice Chair of Urology, University of California, Irvine, California at the Society of Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction Winter Meeting (SUFU 2018), February 27-March 3, 2018, Austin, Texas