Rapid Action Against MRSA

Antibiotic resistance is a growing threat to worldwide health. In the USA alone, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is estimated to have caused 323,700 cases and 10,600 deaths in 2019 (1). As these numbers continue to rise, it’s more important than ever that we detect these infections quickly so that treating physicians can make effective decisions.

At the moment, hospitals apply a “search and destroy” policy that assumes every patient is at risk of MRSA. However, effective detection of the pathogen requires rapid, accessible diagnostic technology. To this end, single-step identification of MRSA, especially from noninvasive testing, such as nasal swabs, is increasingly valuable. One such technology, presented at the recent MedLab Middle East conference (2), offers MRSA detection in just 15 minutes – a timeline that allows rapid management and the opportunity to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance.

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References

1. CDC (2019). Available at: https://bit.ly/397q98a.

2. Scope Fluidics (2020). Available at: https://bit.ly/2Unbth1.

About the Authors

Michael Schubert

While obtaining degrees in biology from the University of Alberta and biochemistry from Penn State College of Medicine, I worked as a freelance science and medical writer. I was able to hone my skills in research, presentation and scientific writing by assembling grants and journal articles, speaking at international conferences, and consulting on topics ranging from medical education to comic book science. As much as I’ve enjoyed designing new bacteria and plausible superheroes, though, I’m more pleased than ever to be at Texere, using my writing and editing skills to create great content for a professional audience.

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