Researchers in the U.K. created a test that can detect sepsis in as little as 2.5 minutes, according to research published in Biosensors and Bioelectronics.
The experimental electrode device tests for interleukin-6, a biomarker of sepsis, in blood samples. The device can also detect what type of infection a patient has and recommend the most appropriate antibiotic treatment.
"The implications for this are massive, and the ability to give the right antibiotic at the right time to the right patient is extraordinary," study author Dr. David Alcorn of the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Scotland told CNN.
Researchers have applied for research funding and plan to conduct clinical trials of the device, which costs $26 to produce.