Before bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus take root in wounds and cause potentially deadly complications, they give off enzymes as a precursor to infections. A group of Australian researchers are testing a biosensor that could detect those enzymes and alert physicians to the presence of such bacteria before an infection takes hold.
Published in Advanced Science, the University of Southern Australian study found that such a procedure would make a viable point-of-care diagnostic tool for hospital use. The biosensor was capable of detecting the Staph enzyme in fluid from a human wound and also distinguish between the enzymes in the wound environment.
Other studies, including one published in June that looked at urinary tract infections, have investigated the use of biosensors to detect infections in advance.