A device the size of a USB stick that can sequence DNA could be leveraged to more quickly and effectively treat UTIs, according to research presented Sept. 19 at an international conference in San Diego, Calif.
The device, called MinION, is able to read the order of nucleotides on a particular strand of DNA, characterizing bacteria found in urine samples in 12 hours, four times faster than traditional methods of bacteria culturing.
This would enable clinicians to make better use of antibiotics, using fewer broad spectrum antibiotics and adjusting treatment to specific patients more quickly.
The CDC estimates that UTIs, one of the most common hospital-acquired infections, affect nearly 100,000 patients in the U.S. each year.