Method For Rapid Identification Research Articles

Human Identification in Mass Disasters: Analyzing Complex Tattoos in the Brumadinho Tragedy

Background: The identification of victims in mass disasters is a challenging task, particularly when forensic teams must address fragmented human remains. Objectives: This article reports two necropsy cases from the 2019 collapse of the Brumadinho mine tailing dam, the largest humanitarian disaster in Brazilian history. Results: In both cases, identification was achieved through comparative anthropological analysis of complex tattoos. Positive identification was based on the presence of multiple coincident points between postmortem (PM) and antemortem (AM) photographic records of the tattoo designs, along with the absence of exclusionary elements. Conclusion: The authors propose that the comparative analysis of PM and AM tattoos should be more widely adopted as a low-cost, rapid identification method, particularly in complex forensic scenarios such as mass disasters and other challenging cases in the medical and forensic anthropology context.

A new genome sequence resource for five invasive fruit flies of agricultural concern: Ceratitis capitata, C. quilicii, C. rosa, Zeugodacus cucurbitae and Bactrocera zonata (Diptera, Tephritidae)

Here, we present novel high quality genome assemblies for five invasive tephritid species of agricultural concern: Ceratitis capitata, C. quilicii, C. rosa, Zeugodacus cucurbitae and Bactrocera zonata (read depths between 65 and 78x). Three assemblies (C. capitata, C. quilicii and Z. cucurbitae) were scaffolded with chromosome conformation data and annotated using RNAseq reads. For some species this is the first reference genome available (B. zonata, C. quilicii and C. rosa), for others we have published improved annotated genomes (C. capitata and Z. cucurbitae). Together, the new references provide an important resource to advance research on genetic techniques for population control, develop rapid species identification methods, and explore eco-evolutionary studies.

The Study of Chemical Constituents and Metabolite Profiles of Chitong Xiaoyanling Granules in Normal and Periodontitis Model Rats Based on Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole Time-of-Flight-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammation of the periodontal support tissues. The typical symptoms of periodontitis are inflammation and alveolar bone resorption. Chitong Xiaoyanling Granules (CXG) is composed of 10 Chinese herbs, which have the efficacy of dispersing wind, clearing heat, cooling blood, and relieving pain. CXG is clinically used for the treatment of periodontitis and other diseases, with remarkable efficacy and broad application prospects. However, due to the lack of systematic research on its chemical constituents and metabolites, it is of great significance to characterize the various chemical components and metabolites of CXG. In this study, ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-tandem mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify the chemical constituents and metabolites of CXG, and the differences in metabolite profiles between normal and model rats were compared. A total of 147 compounds were identified in CXG, including 53 flavonoids, 28 terpenoids, seven chromones, eight coumarins, eight organic acids, 12 phenols, 10 alcohols, nine sugars, and 12 others. In normal and model rats, 191 and 179 CXG-related xenobiotics were detected respectively. In conclusion, a rapid and accurate identification method was used to identify the chemical components and metabolites of CXG, which laid a foundation for the study of the quality control and pharmacological mechanisms of CXG.

A Rapid Identification Method for Cottonseed Varieties Based on Near-Infrared Spectral and Generative Adversarial Networks

A Rapid Identification Method for Cottonseed Varieties Based on Near-Infrared Spectral and Generative Adversarial Networks

Early-stage identification of indoor leakage sources in factories

Identifying the leakage source in industrial factories as soon as an incident happens is crucial for controlling the leak in time and safeguarding lives and property. This study developed a rapid source identification method for factories, aiming to identify the characteristics of leakage sources at the early stage of the leakage event. The approach integrates pollutant diffusion theory, sliding window method, correlation coefficient method, and data fitting method. Based on an experimental cabin, 162 verification conditions were established, encompassing constant sources as well as two time-varying sources: linear and non-linear ones. Additionally, various aspects of the method were evaluated. It was found that considering the error and noise in sensor monitoring data, the method exhibits identification accuracies of 83.3%, 79.6%, and 74.1% for constant sources, linear sources, and non-linear sources, respectively. In the case of non-linear sources, the coefficient “b” must be taken into account when generating the dimensionless concentration vector. A sliding window containing 50 to 60 valid data points can achieve the highest source identification accuracy. This research can provide help in quickly locating leakage sources in factories, help with the timely control of leaks, and protect workers’ health and property safety.

Micro-Raman spectroscopy investigation of deformation transfer at the interface between Bi2Se3 nanoflakes and a flexible substrate

The experimental investigation of the mechanical behavior at the interface between a few-layer Bi2Se3 nanoflake and flexible substrate is of great significance for the structural design and performance development of electronic devices based on topological insulator nanostructure. A quantitative micro-Raman study of the interfacial deformation transfer behavior was performed in this work. Combined with micro-Raman spectroscopy and in-situ loading, the Raman shift-strain coefficients of A1g phonon modes for Bi2Se3 nanoflakes with different longitudinal and transverse dimensions on the flexible substrate were calibrated, and the longitudinal dimensions were determined using a rapid and reliable optical identification method developed based on the optical contrast difference. In addition, an interfacial bonding phenomenological model was proposed to analyze the process of interfacial re-bonding after debonding with increasing strain and the interfacial bonding enhancement after cyclic loading. The influences of transverse dimension and thickness of Bi2Se3 nanoflakes on the interfacial bonding and deformation transfer were quantified by calibrating Raman shift-strain coefficients for multiple samples and were further attributed to the edge effect of the interfacial shear force and decline of interfacial deformation transfer with the layers, respectively.

Characterization of the sex determining region and development of a molecular sex identification method in a Salangid fish

BackgroundThe short-snout icefish, Neosalanx brevirostris, a member of the Salangidae family, is an economically important fishery species in China. Understanding the mechanisms underlying sex determination in this species has crucial implications for conservation, ecology and evolution. Meanwhile, there is a shortage of rapid and cost-effective genetic methods for sex identification, which poses challenges in identifying the sex of immature individuals in sex determination mechanism studies and aquaculture breeding applications.ResultsBased on whole genome resequencing data, sex-specific loci and regions were found to be concentrated in a region on chromosome 2. All sex-specific loci exhibited excess heterozygosity in females and complete homozygosity in males. This sex determining region contains seven genes, including cytochrome P450 aromatase CYP19B, which is involved in steroidogenesis and is associated with 24 sex-specific loci and two W-deletions. A haploid female-specific sequence was identified as paralogous to a diploid sequence with a significant length difference, making it suitable for rapid and cost-effective genetic sex identification by traditional PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis, which were further validated in 24 females and 24 males with known phenotypic sexes.ConclusionsOur results confirm that N.brevirostris exhibits a female heterogametic sex determination system (ZZ/ZW), with chromosome 2 identified as the putative sex chromosome containing a relatively small sex determining region (~ 48 Kb). The gene CYP19B is proposed as a candidate sex determining gene. Moreover, the development of PCR based method enables genetic sex identification at any developmental stage, thereby facilitating further studies on sex determination mechanisms and advancing aquaculture breeding applications for this species.

Simultaneous detection of mixed colorants adulterated in black tea based on various morphological SERS sensors

Colorant adulteration is a common problem in tea safety control; thus, a rapid identification method is required. In this study, we optimized the fabrication parameters of various sensors to enhance their performance. R6G was used as a probe molecule, demonstrating that the sensnor remained stable for 120 days. Based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, the optimized sensors were used to identify and quantify mixed colorants (sunset yellow, lemon yellow, carmine, and erythrosine). Partial least squares prediction models were developed for each colorant (0.5–300 μg/mL), with R2 > 0.900 and RPD > 2.27; these indicated the accuracy of the sensors. The results also revealed a model recovery range of 95.9 % to 116 %, with RSD < 3.94 %, indicating the universality of our proposed method. Overall, the proposed method enables the detection of mixed-colorant adulteration in black tea within 3 min, thereby representing a novel method for the assessment of tea quality.

Rapid detection of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants based on high-resolution melting curve analysis

With the continuous spread of the SARS-CoV-2 globally, viral mutations have accumulated. As a result, SARS-CoV-2 became more contagious, and has a higher risk of immune escape and reinfection. To identify variants and have an awareness of the prevalence of these variants, this study selected four segments containing mutations on the S gene of the SARS-CoV-2. Then a rapid and convenient variants detection method was established using high-resolution melting(HRM) analysis combined with nested polymerase chain reaction(PCR). The total detection process takes about 5 h. Through comprehensive analysis of the results from the four reaction systems, the identification of seven important Omicron variants(BA.2, BA.2.75, BA.5.2, BF.7, BQ.1, XBB.1 and XBB.2) can be achieved, with significant differentiation in the melting curves of each variant group. The method established in this study was used to genotype positive specimens in COVID-19 nucleic acid testing, the overall concordance rate compared to whole genome sequencing results was 88.9%, and the positive concordance rate of each sublineage was greater than 80% and the negative concordance rate was greater than 94.4%. The detection of clinical specimens has demonstrated that the HRM analysis established in this study is an effective, rapid and convenient variant identification method, which can be used for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 variants and has important value in addressing public health issues caused by the ongoing mutations of the SARS-CoV-2.

Reference frequency variance-based rapid identification method for vortex flow rate under mixed vibration interference

Pipeline systems in industrial applications may encounter strong mixed vibration interference, resulting in measurement errors of vortex flowmeters. Current research primarily addresses single types of vibration interference. Various signals output by vortex flow sensors under diverse operating conditions were analyzed to tackle the issue of mixed vibration interference. The amplitude and frequency characteristics of transient impact-type interferences were studied. The differences in frequency fluctuations between periodic interferences and periodic signals were investigated. Then, a method based on reference frequency variance was proposed to resist mixed vibration interference. The primary calculation load of this method arises from the execution of Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). To meet the instrument requirements of low-power consumption and real-time performance, a multipoint FFT method based on a low-power accelerator built-in microcontroller was proposed, which remarkably improved the calculation speed of multipoint FFT and conserved storage space. The reference frequency variance-based antimixed vibration interference algorithm was implemented in real time using a low-power vortex flowmeter system developed by our team, and an antimixed vibration interference gas flow verification experiment was conducted. The method can accurately identify vortex flow signals when the interference energy of the periodic type and the main mode energy of the transient impact surpasses the energy of the flow signal.

Accuracy of various matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based rapid identification methods—As a tool to augment diagnostic stewardship in blood culture laboratory, South India

BackgroundBlood stream infection is a medical emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality. Prompt identification of bloodstream infection-causing microorganisms directly from positive blood culture will significantly enhance patient care by reducing the turnaround time of pathogen recognition. MethodsA total of 256 freshly flagged positive blood culture bottles were subjected to Gram staining. Direct MALDI-TOF MS analysis was performed following sample preparation techniques such as lysis centrifugation, lysis filtration and VITEK® MS BC kit to directly identify microorganisms from positive blood cultures. Along with these short-term incubation methods of Choco spot and minute colony(8–10h) were also performed. All those positive bottles were identified by the routine (reference) laboratory method. Results177 isolates (69.14 %) were correctly identified by Lysis centrifugation, 163 isolates (63.67 %) were correctly identified by Lysis filtration, 206 isolates (80.47 %) were correctly identified by Choco spot,250 isolates (97.65 %) were correctly identified from minute colony (8–10h) of incubation. Of 162 isolates,115 isolates (70.99 %) were correctly identified by VITEK® MS Blood culture kit, (BioMérieux). VITEK® MS BC kit method revealed higher agreement with the kappa value of 0.697 than lysis centrifugation (0.672) followed by lysis filtration (0.611). ConclusionsIn house method of lysis centrifugation is found to be equivalent to VITEK® MS BC kit method and superior to lysis filtration method in correct direct identification of bacteria from positive blood cultures by MALDI-TOF MS analysis. As lysis centrifugation requires only 10 min of processing time as compared to overnight incubation, thus it offers a less expensive substitute for the VITEK® MS BC kit in the clinical laboratory. As a consequence of this study, we have implemented direct MALDI-TOF-based identification from positive BCs in our daily routine diagnostic management.

Rapid screening and identification strategy of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts based on Ramanomes technology and its application in fermented food

There is an urgent need for quick, sensitive, thorough, and low-cost preliminary screening and rapid identification method for probiotic resource development. Here, we constructed a culture-free, accurate and sensitive “separation-enrichment-detection” rapid evaluation and identification method of probiotics in fermented food based on Ramanomes technology, and established a Ramanome reference of lactic acid bacteria and yeasts by AgNPs nanostructure array (AgNPs NSA) chips with uniform “hot spots” and high signal enhancement ability as SERS substrates. Systematic cluster analysis could clearly distinguish among different genera of lactic acid bacteria and yeast, and could indicate the affinity and difference between lactic acid bacteria of the same genus and yeast of the same genus. The recognition accuracy of convolutive neural networks was 100 %, and the recognition sensitivity was less than 10 CFU/mL. We constructed a probiotic isolation and enrichment method by velocity gradient centrifugation and density gradient differential centrifugation, and the average recoveries of lactobacilli and yeasts were greater than 98 % in the practical application, and the accuracy of the verified classification was 100 %. In conclusion, this study has established a preliminary screening strategy of “screening before cultivating” for lactic acid bacteria and yeasts, which breaks through the principle limitation of the current traditional paradigm of “cultivating before screening”. It can greatly improve the preliminary screening rate of probiotics in fermented foods, and provide a good technical support for the mining of probiotic resources from environmental or complex matrix samples.

Construction of pyrimidine derivatives-copper enzyme mimics as colorimetric sensing elements for efficient detection of phenolic compounds and hydrogen peroxide

As concerns about environmental pollution grow, the rapid identification and quantification of pollutants have become increasingly vital. In this work, a series of pyrimidine derivatives-Cu enzyme mimics (Cytosine-Cu, Cytidine-Cu, and CMP-Cu) with laccase- and peroxidase-like activity were prepared through the coordination of Cu2+ with different pyrimidine derivatives (PDs). The PDs-Cu enzyme mimics contain high levels of Cu+ and N − Cu coordination structures, which provide sufficient catalytic sites for the substrates. Compared with natural enzymes and other nanozymes, PDs-Cu demonstrate superior substrate affinity, catalytic efficiency, stability, and resistance to interference. It was found that PDs-Cu enzyme mimics have different catalytic activities towards different phenolic compounds. Therefore, a three-channel colorimetric sensor array (CSA) was successfully developed utilizing PDs-Cu as the sensing elements. The CSA can accurately identify different phenolic compounds and their mixtures in seawater and simulated wastewater. Additionally, a colorimetric method for detecting H2O2 in eye drops was developed, featuring a detection range of 0.1–10.0 μM and a limit of quantification of 0.1 μM. This research not only provides a flexible protocol for regulating the catalytic activity of enzyme mimics, but also provides important inspiration for the development of methods for rapid identification and detection of contaminants in the environmental water.

A spectrum correlation matrix-based rapid damage identification method for joints in hinged slab bridges by sparse measurement

Hinged slab bridges are widely used in the medium and small-span bridges on highways and the joints are highly susceptible to damage under the action of the increasing traffic. However, current methods for damage identification of hinged joints, whether rely on static or dynamic testing, typically require substantial manpower, resources and time, which presents challenges for the rapid evaluation of numerous bridges. In view of this, a novel damage index named spectrum correlation matrix (SCM) is proposed and its feature extraction technology is established as well as the potential for sparse measurement is theoretically explained. Furthermore, a rapid, robust, and convenient damage identification methodology using SCM and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is proposed. An optimal strategy for the layout of sparse measuring points has been explored, the sensitivity and the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through both numerical simulations and the in-situ test of a bridge in service. The results indicate that the SCM contains abundant vibration information and shows a high sensitivity to damage. The strategy for the layout of measuring points is highly efficient and the proposed methodology greatly reduces the number of measuring points compared to previous vibration-based methods, which eases rapid identification of damage for joints in hinged slab bridges.

Investigating the Quantification Capabilities of a Nanopore-Based Sequencing Platform for Food Safety Application via External Standards of Lambda DNA and Lambda Spiked Beef.

Six hundred million cases of disease and roughly 420,000 deaths occur globally each year due to foodborne pathogens. Current methods to screen and identify pathogens in swine, poultry, and cattle products include immuno-based techniques (e.g., immunoassay integrated biosensors), molecular methods (e.g., DNA hybridization and PCR assays), and traditional culturing. These methods are often used in tandem to screen, quantify, and characterize samples, prolonging real-time comprehensive analysis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a relatively new technology that combines DNA-sequencing chemistry and bioinformatics to generate and analyze large amounts of short- or long-read DNA sequences and whole genomes. The goal of this project was to evaluate the quantitative capabilities of the real-time NGS Oxford Nanopore Technologies' MinION sequencer through a shotgun-based sequencing approach. This investigation explored the correlation between known amounts of the analyte (lambda DNA as a pathogenic bacterial surrogate) with data output, in both the presence and absence of a background matrix (Bos taurus DNA). A positive linear correlation was observed between the concentration of analyte and the amount of data produced, number of bases sequenced, and number of reads generated in both the presence and absence of a background matrix. In the presence of bovine DNA, the sequenced data were successfully mapped to the NCBI lambda reference genome. Furthermore, the workflow from pre-extracted DNA to target identification took less than 3 h, demonstrating the potential of long-read sequencing in food safety as a rapid method for screening, identification, and quantification.

A Novel Method for Rapid Screening of Salmonidae Ingredients and Accurate Detection of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) Simultaneously Using Duplex Real-Time PCR Coupled with Melting Curve Analysis

The substitution of ingredients with Salmonidae, particularly Salmo salar, has led to widespread reports of financial losses and health risks globally, emphasizing the urgent need for the development of a rapid and precise method for species identification. The aim of the present study was to develop a novel method for the rapid screening of Salmonidae ingredients and the accurate detection of S. salar simultaneously using multiplex real-time PCR coupled with melting curve analysis. Specifically, primer sets specific for S. salar and Salmonidae were cross-confirmed. Moreover, the reaction system and conditions of a real-time duplex PCR were optimized, and the proposed methodology was verified, proving that the assay has good specificity and sensitivity. Clear and distinguishable melting peaks, with expected Tm values of around 80 °C (S. salar) and 84 °C (Salmonidae), were observed for twelve products, proving the presence of S. salar. However, four products were not derived from S. salar, but they could have belonged to another species within the Salmonidae family due to the presence of only one specific melting peak at a Tm value of about 84 °C. Therefore, the novel assay in the present study allows for the fast and accurate screening of Salmonidae ingredients and the detection of S. salar simultaneously.

Rapid identification of an effective bauxite gas reservoir by principal component analysis.

In recent years, industrial gas flow has been obtained from the bauxite gas reservoir in the southwestern Ordos Basin, which has made the identification of aluminium-bearing rock reservoirs a popular topic. To accelerate the exploration and development of this type of gas reservoir, major element testing, rock thin section identification and principal component analysis (PCA) were conducted, and a method for rapid and accurate identification of bauxite reservoirs via conventional logging was established. The test results clearly revealed the vertical stratification of major elements and three lithologies in the aluminium (Al)-bearing rock series in the study area. The log response characteristics of effective gas reservoirs were summarized, providing a basis for subsequent research on identifying effective bauxite reservoirs via mathematical dimensionality reduction of logging curves. The porosity comparison of strata with different lithologies suggests that dissolution pores are more developed in Al-rich layers, providing insight for identifying effective reservoirs by Al2O3 content. On the basis of the above findings, a lithological identification chart of Al-bearing rock series was established via principal component analysis (PCA), and an effective bauxite reservoir logging identification model based on Al2O3 content prediction was developed. The results show that using the dimensionality reduction method for principal component analysis of logging curves with overlapping information can avoid model distortion caused by multicollinearity. The research results can be used to identify bauxite reservoirs quickly and accurately without other test data.

A rapid and reliable method for early Legionella pneumophila identification and characterization in support of the epidemiology study.

Legionnaires' disease is a severe pneumonia predominantly caused by Legionella pneumophila (Lp), whose major reservoirs are artificial water systems. As most human infections are caused by L. pneumophila serogroup 1 (Lp1), a reliable method for Lp distinction can be crucial for bacterial spread prevention. As the ability to withstand in environments and to cause the waterborne disease is strongly related to specific genes, the identification of virulent strains can be of great relevance to implement water environmental monitoring and to contain harmful outbreaks to public health. We aimed to test an assay for Lp identification among different Legionella species, and to determine the serogroups. Additionally, we investigated the carriage of virulence and antimicrobial resistance genes. A total of 90 Legionella spp. isolates identified by phenotypic tests were subjected to the designed quantitative PCR assay targeting specific mip for Lp, wzm for Lp1, pvcA and ahpD for biofilm production. Eleven serogroups were investigated in all our isolates tested positive for mip gene, subsequently analyzed for 12 virulence and 8 antimicrobial resistance genes. Only the 70 Lp isolates were positive for mip. Out of 27 Lp isolates belonging to serogroup 1 based on agglutination test, 23 (85.2%) carried wzm. The presence of ahpD and pvcA was found in 94.3 and 98.6% of Lp isolates, respectively. By multiplex PCR, all 23 wzm-positive strains were confirmed as serogroup 1 that was the most predominant (33%). At least one virulence gene was detected in all Lp isolates. The most frequent gene was ispE (100%), followed by issD (96%), icmK and enhC (93%), cpxA (91%), rtxA2 (74%), lvhB8-B9 (61%), and prpA (54%). The other genes were less diffused in Lp strains (rtxA1, 44%; lvhB3-B4, 47%; pvcB, 27%; lvrE, 24%). Of the macrolide resistance genes, the ereA was found in 84% of Lp strains, while only 14 (20%) harbored the lpeAB among the efflux pump genes. The assays validated in this study enable the simultaneous Lp and Lp1 detection. The differentiation of Lp strains according to their virulence properties could be useful to predict the bacterial ability to survive and to cause the disease.

A-264 Validation of a Novel Real-Time PCR Assay for Identification of Mycobacterium species Isolates Recovered from Clinical Culture

Abstract Background Historically, clinical mycobacteriology laboratories used the nucleic acid hybridization-based AccuProbe assay manufactured by Hologic, Inc., to rapidly rule in or rule out Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and members of the M. avium-intracellulare complex (MAC). The clinical value of this test was in its ability to rapidly rule in/out MTB from positive broth cultures and allow the initiation of appropriate antimicrobial therapy and infection prevention practices. Recent discontinuation of this commercial assay left a gap in testing available for the rapid identification of these organisms, which allowed us to develop an in-house real-time PCR test. Methods A replacement assay was developed by Labcorp R &amp; D based on real-time PCR amplification of extracted nucleic acids from positive culture growth. Aliquots from positive AFB VersaTREK broth cultures were heat inactivated, and nucleic acids were extracted using the MagNA Pure 24 (MP24) instrument (Roche). Real-time PCR using published primer probe sets (Rocchetti, et al 2016) was performed on the QuantStudio™ 7 (QS7) instrument (Applied Biosystems®). The assay was designed with three independent primer/probe sequence targets: one for MTB Complex (IS6110), one for MAC (ITS), and one pan-target for the Mycobacterium genus (16s rRNA). Results Procedural verification was performed using 100 residual clinical specimens previously identified using the Hologic AccuProbe® assay. Categorical concordance was 97% (97/100). The three discrepant results were identified as MAC positive by PCR; however, these were not identified as MAC on the predicate assay. Analytical sensitivity for the PCR assay was established to be 1,000 CFU/mL for each target. Analytical specificity was assessed in vitro for nine Mycobacterium species, with no cross-reactivity observed. In vitro analysis of target detection in the presence of yeast (Candida glabrata) was also performed, and we saw no inhibition. Analysis of the primer/probe sets for all targets was performed in silico using XploreDB database of microbial genomes, with confirmed 100% matches for both MAC and MTB genomes compared to hundreds of species. By comparison, the PAN-Myco primer set showed decreased performance, having three mismatches (two on forward primer and one on the probe). As this target sequence is used as an Internal Control (IC) this was not problematic for overall assay performance. The assay demonstrated excellent precision (%CV) for each target: MTB = 0.74%, MAC = 1.10%, PAN-Myco = 3.19%. Conclusions Utilizing the depth of molecular methodologies available in our laboratories, we developed a rapid method for identification of MAC and MTB from positive broth cultures, which had excellent performance compared to the predicate assay. The PCR ID LDT test is now available and allows testing to continue with no interruption in patient care.

An investigation of scattered light integrating collector technology for rapid blood culture sensitivity testing.

Introduction. Sepsis rates are increasing, with Gram-negative organisms representing a large proportion of bloodstream infections. Rapid antibiotic administration, alongside diagnostic investigations, is required for the effective management of these patients.Gap statement. Current diagnostics take ~48 h for a final report; therefore, rapid diagnostics are required.Aim. This study investigated a novel antibiotic sensitivity method, the scattered light integrating collector (SLIC), combined with a rapid identification method using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) technology to determine if an accurate identification and susceptibility result can be provided within 4 h of a positive blood culture report.Methodology. A total of 47 blood cultures containing Gram-negative bacteria from 46 patients were processed using the MALDI-TOF Biotyper Sepsityper for identification directly from the blood and the SLIC instrument for susceptibility testing. All organisms were also tested using the current standard workflow used in the host laboratory. Categorical agreement (CA), major errors (MaEs) and very major errors (VMEs) were determined.Results. SLIC produced susceptibility results with a 71.9% CA, 30.6% MaE and 17.5% VME. The median difference in time to the final result was 44.14 (43 : 05-45 : 15) h earlier compared to the current method.Conclusion. We conclude that SLIC was unable to consistently provide sufficiently accurate antibiotic susceptibility results compared to the current standard method.