Rapid screening for MRSA

The new product, now available throughout the European Union, is a rapid culture-based screening test that confirms negatives in five hours and positives the next day. Additional features include flexible throughput with up to 45 tests per run, one minute hands-on time per specimen, and automated endpoint with objective results.

BacLite flex will allow hospitals to screen patients for the presence of MRSA. This information will enable infection control teams to act quickly to prevent a hospitalacquired infection and minimise the cost of patient isolation. Healthcare-associated infections, of which MRSA is the most significant, are estimated to cause 5000 deaths in the UK each year. By being able to act quickly, hospitals can reduce significantly the incidence of mortality and morbidity. In addition, MRSA costs the NHS around ú1 billion a year, so reducing the incidence of the infection will have a major financial impact.

Commenting on the introduction, Acolyte chairman Dr Tim Coombs said: "We have gained a wealth of information from clinical microbiologists in the six months since we entered the rapid MRSA screening market. BacLite flex incorporates the full range of features requested by our customers and provides a flexible package for different specimen volumes and future singleorganism screening."