A Digital Microfluidic Sepsis Diagnostic Predicts Bacterial Infection Status Using Host Transcriptomic Response

Sepsis, a life-threatening condition with severe long-term health consequences and a high mortality rate, demands early diagnosis to address its challenges. However, traditional diagnostic procedures, such as blood cultures, often take hours to days to yield results.

Distinguishing between bacterial infection and illnesses caused by other etiologies is critical for informed intervention, guiding decisions on administering or withholding antibiotics. A rapid diagnostic test capable of predicting the likelihood of bacterial infection in suspected sepsis cases can assist clinicians in determining appropriate treatment. This has the potential to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and contribute to curbing antimicrobial resistance.

In this poster presented at the Association for Molecular Pathology (AMP) 2023 Annual Meeting & Expo in Salt Lake City, Utah, we showcase a digital microfluidic (DMF) assay. This assay effectively differentiates between bacterial infection and non-bacterial illness using a panel of 10 mRNA targets