Quick Test to Diagnose Bacterial or Viral Infection Developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Researchers
Quick Test to Diagnose Bacterial or Viral Infection Developed by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Researchers
July 19, 2011
Medical Research, Press Releases
Beer-Sheva, Israel, July 20, 2011 — Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have developed a new test that quickly and accurately distinguishes between bacterial and viral infections in as little as five hours.
Treating viral infections with antibiotics is ineffective and contributes to the development of antibiotic resistance, allergic reactions, toxicity and greater healthcare costs. Currently tests take 24 to 48 hours and are not always accurate enough for a clear-cut diagnosis. Doctors often prescribe antibiotics to provide patient relief before the test comes back, without waiting for the results.
According to a study published in the Journal of Analytical Chemistry, the BGU group has shown it is possible to distinguish a patient’s infection as either viral or bacterial by adding luminol to a blood sample and measuring the glow. Luminol is a luminescent chemical substance used in crime scenes to locate traces of blood.
BGU’s study clearly indicated that white blood cells that protect the body (phagocytes) react differently to viral and bacterial infections and that the glow or “chemiluminescence” (CL) can detect those distinct reactions. According to the study, “The method is timesaving, easy to perform and can be commercially available, thus, having predictive diagnostic value and could be implemented in various medical institutions.”
The study included 69 patients admitted to Soroka University Medical Center in Beer-Sheva with various types of infections. Rather than looking at the infection, they looked at the immune system’s response to the infection.
A multidisciplinary team, headed by Prof. Robert Marks, of the Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), made the discovery. Team member and doctoral student Daria Prilutsky undertook the project as part of her Interdisciplinary Technologies Fellowship from the Planning and Budgeting Committee of the Council for Higher Education.
“This is a terrific example of the multidisciplinary approach at BGU that results in innovative research and yields results that can have a worldwide impact,” explains Doron Krakow, executive vice president of American Associates, Ben Gurion University of the Negev. “A test of this type has significant implications for cutting healthcare costs and providing more accurate treatment.”
Differentiation between Viral and Bacterial Acute Infections Using Chemiluminescent Signatures of Circulating Phagocytes
Daria Prilutsky,†,‡,§ Evgeni Shneider,|| Alex Shefer,^ Boris Rogachev,z Leslie Lobel,† Mark Last,‡ and Robert S. Marks*,§,#
†Department of Virology, Faculty of Health Sciences, ‡Department of Information Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, §National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Emergency Department, ^Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine H, zDepartment of Nephrology, Soroka Medical Center, and #Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
ABOUT AMERICANS FOR BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY
By supporting a world-class academic institution that not only nurtures the Negev, but also shares its expertise locally and globally, Americans for Ben-Gurion University engages a community of Americans who are committed to improving the world. David Ben-Gurion envisioned that Israel’s future would be forged in the Negev. The cutting-edge research carried out at Ben-Gurion University drives that vision by sustaining a desert Silicon Valley, with the “Stanford of the Negev” at its center. The Americans for Ben-Gurion University movement supports a 21st century unifying vision for Israel by rallying around BGU’s remarkable work and role as an apolitical beacon of light in the Negev desert.
About Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev embraces the endless potential we have as individuals and as a commonality to adapt and to thrive in changing environments. Inspired by our location in the desert, we aim to discover, to create, and to develop solutions to dynamic challenges, to pose questions that have yet to be asked, and to push beyond the boundaries of the commonly accepted and possible.
We are proud to be a central force for inclusion, diversity and innovation in Israel, and we strive to extend the Negev’s potential and our entrepreneurial spirit throughout the world. For example, the multi-disciplinary School for Sustainability and Climate Change at BGU leverages over 50 years of expertise on living and thriving in the desert into scalable solutions for people everywhere.
BGU at a glance:
20,000 students | 800 senior faculty | 3 campuses | 6 faculties: humanities & social sciences, health sciences, engineering sciences, natural sciences, business & management, and desert research.
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