PGI’s biomarker can detect bacterial infections in just 2 hrs

LUCKNOW: In a global level achievement, the Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) has developed a biomarker for detecting any sort of bacterial infection within just two hours. The marker would also differentiate between fevers due to infections and those due to autoimmune diseases, said doctors, adding that the medical institute would charge a minimal fee of Rs 600 for the test.

“Before this, such a biomarker, which could detect bacterial infection in just two hours, was not available in the world,” said professor Vikas Agarwal of the department of clinical immunology at SGPGIMS. “This achievement of PGI has been recognised by the international fraternity. Also, the investigation committee of SGPGIMS has cleared the marker for public use,” he added.

Earlier, doctors detected bacterial infection using another

› Before this, such a biomarker, which could detect bacterial infection in just two hours, was not available in the world.

PROF VIKAS AGARWAL, PGI

biomarker called Procalcitonin. However, Prof Agarwal said, in procalcitonin, around 40% infections went undetected and it took anywhere from 10 to 72 hours to detect infections. “This time was crucial for saving lives. In case of bacterial fevers, growth of bacteria can be arrested through appropriate antibiotics. But for that it is first required to know the kind of bacteria that’s causing the infection,” he said.

“The PGI has developed the CD 64 marker with the flow cytometry technique,” said Prof Agarwal. He said that fevers could be due many reasons such as bacterial infections, viral infections or autoimmune diseases. “If doctors come to know about the kind of infection early on, they can begin the treatment accordingly. In this way, many lives that were being lost due to fatal fevers, can be saved,” he said, adding that the CD 64 marker had been tested successfully on over 100 patients. “Now, we are ready to use it on all fever patients,” he said.

Prof Agarwal said the marker was also effective in detecting Vasculitis and SLE fevers, which were autoimmune diseases. “Many times fever comes repeatedly because of autoimmune diseases. The marker differentiates between infections and autoimmune diseases within two hours,” he said.

The PGI’s study on the biomarker has been published by the globally reputed journal of clinical immunology. Along with Prof Agarwal, Dr Sajal Ajmani, Dr Harshit Singh, Dr Saurabh Chaturvedi, Dr Mohit Kumar Rai, Dr Avinash Jain, Dr DP Mishra and Prof RN Mishra have also worked on the study.