Device to sniff out stomach bugs could save NHS millions
Testing has begun on a device that can sniff
out the presence of disease by smell, thanks to a £1.3 million
award from the Wellcome Trust.
OdoReader, developed by Chris Probert from the University of
Bristol and Norman Ratcliffe from the University of the West of
England, uses pioneering technology to rapidly diagnose Clostridium
difficile, by 'reading' the odour of stool samples. Clostridium
difficile may cause severe diarrhoea, especially amongst
hospitalised patients.
With the help of University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation
Trust, the technology enables gasses emitted from faeces to be
analysed in under an hour, leading to a rapid and inexpensive
diagnosis. Such early detection could reap real health benefits for
millions of people and help prevent the spread of infectious
disease.
Gastro-intestinal diseases afflict over four billion adults and
children each year. Delays in diagnosis can lead to patients being
ill for longer, some may die, many will cost more to treat and
infections may spread to other people. In England and Wales there
are over 50,000 cases of Clostridium difficile each year: this
infection prolongs hospitalisation, is associated with high
morbidity and mortality and costs the NHS £200 million
annually.
The £1.3 million Wellcome Trust Translation Award will cover a
three-year programme of work starting in January 2010. It will
support the development of OdoReader prototypes, which will then be
tested against the industry 'gold standard' method of making the
diagnosis. The final product will undergo a clinical trial before
becoming available for commercialisation in 2012/13.
Chris Probert, Professor of Gastroenterology at the University
of Bristol, and Consultant Gastroenterologist at University
Hospitals Bristol, said: "For a long time it has been known that
stools have a distinctive and different odour if there is an
infection. What OdoReader does is take this 'knowledge' a step
further by comparing the odour of faeces of patients with those
from patients with specific gastro-intestinal disease to make a
rapid diagnosis at point of care."
Professor Norman Ratcliffe from the University of the West of
England, added: "We expect OdoReader to be a portable device for
the diagnosis of C difficile, however it has potential far beyond
that - it could be used for a range of other gastrointestinal
diesease as well as lung and urinary tract diseases too."
Rick Davis, Business Development Manager at the Wellcome Trust,
stated: "The Wellcome Trust Translation Awards are designed to
facilitate the development and commericalisation of new healthcare
technologies. OdoReader has shown great promise in early testing
and we are hopeful that this diagnostic platform will prove
valuable in the race against the 'superbugs'"
Christine Perry, Assistant Chief Nurse and Director of Infection
prevention and Control for University Hospitals Bristol Bristol,
said: "The Trust is very pleased to be involved in this exciting
development. The technology has real potential for vastly improving
our ability to prevent infections and provide high quality care for
our patients."