Illness has proven to be a major hindrance to optimal human existence. Chief among these conditions are urinary tract infections. Numerous variations of bacterial and viral infections have diminished the standards of living for many people around the world. However, developments in the medical field have assuaged such fears by facilitating timely detection and treatment of the aforementioned infections.
The common assumption has always been that most, if not all, of these urinary tract infections, are caused by different variations of the E Coli bacteria thereby simplifying the provision of relevant antibiotics. However, these disease causing organisms have mutated necessitating further testing to ensure proper selection of medication. The emergence of Multi-Drug Resistant Organisms (MDR0s) has resulted in molecular diagnostics being the premier way through which such bacterium are detected.
Molecular diagnostics essentially entails the thorough examination of disease causing pathogens in order to determine their nature, quantify them and pinpoint their level of resistance to mainstream antibiotics. This is accomplished through procedures such as
•013iosensor Analytics
•DMicrofluidics
•OPolymerase Chain Reaction Tests.
These techniques, in contrast to the initially applied phenotypic approaches, delve deeper into the pathogen's molecular structure thereby enabling medical personnel to efficiently determine what course of treatment is best suited to the particular case.
An added facet introduced by molecular diagnostics is the antibiotic resistance that enables physicians to prescribe adequate doses to patients afflicted by particularly resistant urinary tract infections. Prior to the incorporation of molecular testing, standard doses would be prescribed without a clear understanding of the resistance level of the pathogen in question.
The speed with which accurate diagnostics are obtained is also a merit commonly attributed to the molecular approach of UTI detection. Whereas the phenotypic analysis of cultures could take weeks, molecular diagnostics are estimated to last between 2-4 days. This enables quick administration of the relevant medication thereby curbing any long term effects of infection.
All in all, the introduction of molecular diagnostics as a means to assess urinary tract infections has revolutionized treatment and altered societal perception towards UTIs. With the speed and accuracy of molecular assessment, infected persons can be assured of proper diagnosis and, hopefully, speedy recoveries. The days of urinary tract infections proving the scourge of human existence may just be over; and we have molecular diagnostics to thank for that.
