Sepsis is the medical term for overwhelming bloodstream infection.
This is a dangerous condition that can occur in a variety of situations including pneumonia, kidney infections, gallbladder infection, and colon infection (among others). The bacterial germs that cause these infections are variable resulting in a ‘best guess’ approach by the treating physician.
Usually, this selection process is fairly accurate, but it often takes 1-2 days to isolate the bacterial germ for conclusive proof that the antibiotic being used is the appropriate and ‘best treatment’.
Now, a new test Verigene GP Blood Culture Nucleic Acid Test (BC-GP) will be available for rapid identification of many of these infections, in as little as three hours. This rapid detection will allow for improved antibiotic selection, resulting in better outcomes for patients and less bacterial resistance in the hospital. The test will be available in the near future at a hospital near you.
