A blood test can identify the infection-causing bacteria and the drugs best suited to fight it. Results could be obtained as early as seven hours after the test, compared to four days today.

Hyderabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) - A new blood test can detect the exact bacteria or virus that cause septicaemia, a virus that kills almost half of all the people it infects. Scientists from the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) in Hyderabad discovered the test, whose results will be available in seven hours rather than four days as is the case at present.

The CCMB research team discovered a DNA-based diagnostic tool that can identify all 27 organisms that cause septicaemia. The tool also tells doctors which drugs will not work, so it will help them administer the right drug to save the patient.

Until now, patients had to wait four days to find out which bacteria or virus had caused their septicaemia. In severe cases, three days were enough to kill.

The most common areas of infection that lead to septicaemia include the abdomen, lungs, urinary tract, bone, central nervous system and heart.

With septicaemia, the initial symptoms include accelerated pulse, rapid breathing, chills and high fevers that come on suddenly. These may lead to shock and a sudden decrease in blood pressure, and confusion or other mental changes.

After the discovery, the technology was transferred to a diagnostics company in Bangalore for development and trial.

The test is expected to cost around Rs 10,000 (US$ 180), but the price should drop once its use becomes generalised.

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