Mean time to species identification 3.61 to 7.70 hours, depending on number of samples tested
MONDAY, May 13, 2019 (HealthDay News) — The T2Bacteria Panel can rapidly and accurately diagnose bloodstream infections (BSIs), according to a study published online May 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
In a study performed in 11 U.S. hospitals, M. Hong Nguyen, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues examined performance of the T2Bacteria Panel for diagnosing suspected BSIs in adults caused by Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Escherichia coli. Participants included 1,427 patients for whom blood cultures were ordered as standard of care. Performance of the T2Bacteria Panel was compared to that of a single set of blood cultures.
The researchers found that in 3 and 13 percent of patients, blood culture and T2Bacteria results were positive for targeted bacteria, respectively. Time from the start of blood culture intubation to positivity and identification of species was a mean of 38.5 and 71.7 hours, respectively. For T2Bacteria, the mean times to species identification ranged from 3.61 to 7.70 hours, depending on the number of samples tested. For proven BSIs, per-patient sensitivity and specificity of T2Bacteria were 90 and 90 percent, respectively; the negative predictive value was 99.7 percent. Ten percent of negative blood cultures had a positive T2Bacteria result; 60 percent were associated with probable or possible BSIs.
“We hope the promising performance and U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance of these tests will encourage continued investment, research, and development in this area of pressing medical need,” the authors write.
Several authors disclosed financial ties to biopharmaceutical companies, including T2 Biosystems, which funded the study.
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