Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI) are the most common of all infections. It is reported that 40 to 50% of all women will be diagnosed with at least one bacterial UTI. Until recently, most UTIs were easily treated with standard antibiotic regimens. However, this is changing. Resistance is reported to be growing fastest in home nursing facilities and on college campuses, with resistance rates growing by 2-3% annually. In the general population, resistance rates are climbing as well. Resistance for E. coli, the primary pathogen found in UTIs, now exceeds 20% in many parts of the country for first line antibiotics. Antibiotic resistance often complicates therapy significantly leading to return visits and longer periods of lost work. Rapid diagnostic testing of bacterial ID and AbX will become ever more important to treat UTIs.

In addition to E. coli, Staphylococcus (S. saprophyticus) Pseudomonas, Enterobacteria and E. faecium are described as commonly isolated pathogens. In the U.S., the growing antibiotic resistance in E. coli, an E. coli ID and RS assay would be very useful.

A urinalysis is a common method for diagnosing UTIs. They involve a physical and chemical examination of urine. In addition, the urine is spun in a centrifuge to allow sediments containing blood cells, bacteria, and other particles to collect. This sediment is then examined under a microscope. A urinalysis offers valuable clues regarding UTIs but the information is nonspecific – no bacterial ID or susceptibility is determined. With growing antibiotic resistance in the principal pathogens associated with hospital and community acquired recurrent and complicated urinary tract infections, MicroPhage believes rapid testing in this market will reduce the current scheme of 'trial and error' antibiotic prescribing, helping to identify UTIs faster and direct better therapy

MicroPhage's solution – Rapid (2-3 hour) Identification and antibiotic susceptibility test on recurrent UTIs where first line therapy has failed or suspected to have failed.