CASE STUDY:

Rapid diagnosis of Urinary Tract Infection in Primary Healthcare 

Research Team: Prof Marcus Drake; Dr Martina piano; Dr Jackie Barnett;

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common and unpleasant problem affecting between 15% and 20% of people. It leads to painful symptoms and time off work, and sometimes significant complications, such as kidney damage. Moreover, it is a big burden for patients and healthcare delivery – the second most common infection cause for visiting GPs, accounting for 3% of consultations. A better UTI diagnostic has been identified as their top priority in general practice.

We are developing a device which can be used in GP practices and other community settings to identify the 3 most common UTI bacteria and inflammation in just five minutes. The patients will provide a urine sample to the practice nurse, who puts some in a test cartridge containing antibodies to common UTI bacteria, and a protein to test for inflammation. The cartridge is then put in a new detection device to make the diagnostic measurements.  The basic technology involved is already subject of a family of patents which it is anticipated will be extended on the basis of new knowledge arising from this project.

We have tested this idea with patient panels and medics through focus groups and direct feedback. This emphasised the importance of ensuring the test is safe, easy to use for healthcare professionals, inexpensive, and easy to store. We will ensure that the device is accurate, gives results in line with standard tests, and enhances NHS treatment pathways.

The project has also been working with a spectrum of healthcare professional users and patients to help define the system needs and performance requirements which will inform the design specifications for the later Visual and Functional Prototypes.  Work is also being carried out to establish how the new diagnostic fits best within clinical service delivery, the basic health economic parameters of the system, its value proposition and the business and marketing planning factors involved in order to support effective development and exploitation of the technology on completion of this initial development project.

Funded by National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)