Smartphone camera test gives fast UTI diagnosis

SCIENTISTS have developed a test using a smartphone camera that could diagnose urinary tract infections (UTIs) in 25 minutes.

It can take several days to receive an accurate UTI labtest result, so this new technology proves to be a gamechanger.

Developed by biological engineers at the University of Bath, the technology works by identifying the presence of E.coli bacteria in bacterial UTIs.

E.coli is a bacteria that help to keep the digestive tract healthy, but can cause serious infections if it enters the urinary tract. E.coli is the culprit in 90 per cent of UTIs.

The test is carried out by passing a urine sample over a plastic micro-capillary strip, which contains an antibody that can detect E.coli bacterial cells.

If E.coli is present, the antibodies will bind it and prevent it from passing through the plastic strip.

An enzyme is then added to cause a change in colour that can be captured on camera. The smartphone then analyses the concentration of E.coli in the urine sample.

“The test is small and portable, so it has major potential for use in primary care settings and in developing countries,” the study’s lead researcher Nuno Reis, from the University of Bath’s Department of Chemical Engineering told the Independent.

The test still needs to undergo clinical trials as the scientists continue to work on refining the technology in hopes it can better detect the presence and concentration of other types of bacteria.