Rapid test from ETH Zurich to facilitate more targeted treatment for bladder infections

A new rapid test could in future be used for bladder infections. This was developed by researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich (ETH). With the new method, the researchers hope to be able to treat bacterial inflammations of this kind in a more targeted manner and therefore combat the increasing resistance to antibiotics more effectively.

As the university writes in a press release, the new method is based on the use of bacteriophages. Phages are viruses that only attack bacteria. The new test uses viruses whose hosts are the bacteria Escherichia coli, Klebsiella and enterococci.

The phages penetrate through the external protein coat of the bacterium and multiply by attaching to the host DNA. Phages added to a urine sample emit a specific light signal in the presence of bacteria. In this way, the wavelength and light intensity enable the examining doctors to identify the relevant bacterium before prescribing a specific antibiotic treatment.

In a second development phase, direct phage therapies could also be developed. For this purpose, the viruses are genetically modified in order to successfully destroy the host cells. After all, the phages themselves “aren’t interested in completely killing their host, the pathogenic bacterium”, explains Samuel Kilcher, co-author of the study, in the press release. The genetically modified phages not only produce new phages inside the infected host bacterium, but also bacteriocins, which are essentially bacteria-killing proteins.

At present, the research is in the feasibility study phase. In collaboration with Balgrist University Hospital, the researchers from ETH Zurich intend to verify the efficacy of the new phage therapy as part of a clinical trial. ce/ww