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Bacterial detection for healthcare: is BSRMA the start of a new era?

Following development in the military setting, the bacteria-specific rapid metabolic assay could take a step closer to a new era in bacterial detection. Here, Andrew Kemp provides an overview of progress.

Culture media and techniques have remained almost unchanged in over 100 years and in 2018 the question has to be asked: Is it fit for the purposes we are using it for? The increasing availability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to identify species has increased the speed at which a result is available, but it is still difficult to be accurate about numbers from all species.

There are tests available that quantify the total amount of adenosine triphosphate (ATP); however, there has yet to be found a correlation between total ATP and bacterial ATP, and therefore this type of test is considered to be of no clinical value.1,2

The bacteria-specific rapid metabolic assay (BSRMA) was developed as a battlefield test for biological weapons, and only recently adapted for use outside the military environment.  Results using this newly available test on surfaces, skin and in urine have been incredibly revealing.1,3–6

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Upcoming Events

USCAP 113th Annual Meeting

Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
23-28 March, 2024

Pathology Horizons 2024

MacDonald Bath Spa Hotel, Bath
18-20 April, 2024

Diagnostics North East Conference 2024

The Catalyst, Newcastle upon Tyne
19 April, 2024

ECCMID 2024 - European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Fira Gran Via, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
27-30 April 2024

British Society for Microbial Technology Annual Microbiology Conference

UK Health Security Agency, Colindale, London
2 May 2024

EQA Reports: Interpreting Key Information & Troubleshooting Tips

ONLINE - Zoom
Thursday 16th May 2024

Access the latest issue of Pathology In Practice on your mobile device together with an archive of back issues.

Download the FREE Pathology In Practice app from your device's App store

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