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Reducing exposure to antimicrobial agents

More people die each year from sepsis than cancers of the breast and prostate, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) / acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) combined. An initiative by the biochemistry laboratory at Portsmouth’s Queen Alexandra Hospital is designed to explore ways of reducing the impact of such life-threatening infections.

Procalcitonin (PCT), a prohormone of calcitonin, is an inflammatory marker with a high specificity for bacterial infection. It has been observed as a useful adjunct in determining whether or not a patient has sepsis. With regard to antimicrobial stewardship, a negative procalcitonin result is a point of reassurance to support the cessation of antibiotic treatment, reducing unnecessary associated costs and side-effects.

The Portsmouth laboratory is collaborating with Beckman Coulter Diagnostics on a study that measures the effectiveness of the company’s new CE-marked Access PCT assay.  The laboratory’s long-term objective is to spearhead new protocols for speeding up appropriate treatment of sepsis with antibiotics within the hospital, placing particular emphasis on patient safety. 

 

See more about Beckman Coulter

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Upcoming Events

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

Participants’ Meeting: UK NEQAS Immunology, Immunochemistry & Allergy

Sheffield Hallam University, City Campus, Howard Street, Sheffield
24th May 2024

Med-Tech Innovation Expo

NEC, Birmingham
5-6 June, 2024

UK NEQAS Blood Coagulation: Clinical and Laboratory Haemostasis 2024

Sheffield Hallam University
5th - 6th June 2024

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

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