Vivalytic Brochure Sep 22
Vivalytic Brochure Sep 22
Identification and Differentiation of Viral and Bacterial Respiratory Infection to Guide Antibiotic Stewardship
Identification and Differentiation of Viral and Bacterial Respiratory Infection to Guide Antibiotic Stewardship
The development of point-of-care testing is critical in the identification and differentiation between bacterial and viral respiratory infections. Defining the indications of infection to improve antibiotic stewardship, ensures that patients are protected from unnecessary antibiotic use and antibiotic resistance. It has been shown that particular protein biomarkers, such as myxovirus resistance protein (MxA) and C-reactive protein (CRP), differentiate infections between bacterial and viral. Using point-of-care platforms, such as Randox’s VeraSTAT, for detection of these protein biomarkers may provide more rapid and cost-effective discriminating tools.
The treatment of bacterial and viral infections can differ significantly, however people are often treated with empirical antibiotics due to a lack of paid and accurate testing. Although early intervention of infection is urgent, current diagnostic methods are either time intensive or inaccurate. The challenges clinicians are faced with in the differentiation of viral or bacterial respiratory infection can lead to delayed diagnosis, misappropriation of antibiotics and increased healthcare costs.
MxA protein has the potential to greatly enhance the rapid detection of viral respiratory infections as it increases significantly when there is actuate viral infection. CRP is the dominant acute phase protein often used to guide treatment of a bacterial infection or inflammation associated with tissue injury, inflammatory disorders, and associated diseases.
CRP & MxA together, allow clinicians to make appropriate decisions in supporting antimicrobial stewardship and guide the appropriate use of antibiotics, saving time performing unnecessary tests, providing unnecessary treatment which missing the opportunity to provide the right treatment in a timely manner.
The Randox VeraSTAT is a simple, accurate, portable point of care device which delivers rapid results via the use of patented cathodic electrochemiluminescence technology (C-ECL). Designed with the aim of offering users the next generation of rapid diagnosis, the VeraSTAT eliminates the requirement to send samples to a laboratory and instead returns results in as little as 6 minutes.
- Eliminates delays in sending samples to the lab and facilitate immediate decision making at the point of care.
- Lightweight, portable and convenient, the Randox VeraSTAT can be used in a variety of locations to deliver results as required, such as a GP surgery or Emergency Department.
- Intuitive user interface guides the operator through the entire testing process.
- All necessary reagents are conveniently included in each single use, sealed cassette with no preparation required. All necessary consumables are supplied with the kit.
- The Randox VeraSTAT allows for results to be exported via Bluetooth connectivity.
- Flexible test menu comprising of a range of immunoassay, protein, inflammatory, diabetes & infectious disease markers.
Novel testing approaches identifying the type of infection at the point of care are essential in accurately guiding appropriate antibiotic treatment. Although these tests can’t determine what type of viral or bacterial infection a patient has, it will determine whether the infection is viral or bacterial, further testing is then carried out to determine what type of pathogen the patient has via PCR – the gold standard. The ability to distinguish between viral and bacterial infections is the most effective guide for clinical decision making and is an innovative tool for antibiotic stewardship.
References
1 – Fleming-Dutra K.E., Hersh A.L., Shapiro D.J. Prevalence of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions among US ambulatory care visits, 2010–2011. JAMA. 2016;315:1864–1873. doi: 10.1001/jama.2016.4151.
2 – Cals JW, Hopstaken RM, Butler CC, Hood K, Severens JL, Dinant GJ. Improving management of patients with acute cough by C-reactive protein point of care testing and communication training (IMPAC3T): study protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial. BMC Fam Pract. 2007;8:15.
3- New report calls for urgent action to avert antimicrobial resistance crisis [Internet]. World Health Organization. World Health Organization; 2019
4 – Hutchings MI, Truman AW, Wilkinson B. Antibiotics: past, present and future. Curr Opin Microbiol. (2019) 51:72–80. doi: 10.1016/j.mib.2019.10.008
For more enquiries please contact the Marketing team: market@randox.com
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Randox response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, āGovernmentās contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltdā
27th July 2022: Randox response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, ‘Government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd’
A spokesperson for Randox said:
“The PAC report is deeply flawed and wrong in assumptions it makes and the conclusions it draws about Randox.
“As the UK’s largest diagnostic company, with four decades of experience, over 2,000 professional staff on hand at the start of the pandemic and more than £350m of prior investment in diagnostic and engineering innovation, Randox was uniquely situated to respond to the national need when COVID-19 emerged in early 2020.
“In supporting the UK’s urgent requirement for coronavirus testing Randox reacted with speed, efficiency and flexibility in delivering value. The company developed and built, in record time, the UK’s largest COVID-19 laboratories and testing services. It provided the Department of Health and Social Care with a PCR testing capacity at the time of greatest need, rising from 300 tests per day to 120,000 per day by January 2021.
“Altogether Randox processed over 25 million samples for UK’s National Testing Programme and in support of international travel for business and personal reasons. This played a crucial role in keeping vital elements of the UK economy functioning during lockdowns.
“In adapting to rapidly changing DHSC and Department of Transport requirements, Randox delivered unique value to the government, the national economy and to individuals.
“At no stage, either during its deliberations or in its preparation of this report, did the PAC make any contact whatsoever with Randox. Consequently many elements of its report relating to Randox are false, based as they are, on wrong and unchecked assumptions about the company. For that reason, they and any publications arising from them are the subject of a legal complaint.”
“The issues the report raises around internal DHSC record keeping are clearly a matter for DHSC”
For all media enquiries, please contact Ian Monk on ian@ianmonk.com or +44 7970 026072 / + 44 203 011 1933
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Biomedical Science Day 2022
Biomedical Science Day 2022
Biomedical Science Day is taking place this year on Thursday 9th June 2022. This is an annual celebration to increase the awareness of Biomedical Science and to promote to the public the importance of it.
Biomedical scientists play a key role in diagnosis, quality development and assurance, treatment, research, and development in the modern medical sciences. To celebrate and give recognition we have interviewed one of our RCLS clinical deputy managers, Jayme Hamilton.
This is what Jayme has to say about his role in Biomedical Science:
1. What attracted you to pursue a career in biomedical science?
My degree was in Biological Sciences with Professional Studies. Through it, I was able to design my degree based in my own interests and curiosities, which drew me to exploring the molecular and chemical pathways that elicit biological pathways and also how biotechnology is opening up a future to personalised health and therapies. What I find interesting it how a complete complement of biomarkers needs to be assessed to offer a full illustration of what’s going on under the skin.
2. How many different labs have you worked in?
I have been fortunate to work within several Laboratories to some capacity early in my career. I had a very fulfilling placement within a Method Development and Validation lab at a pharmaceutical company, as well as completing a challenging honours project in population genetics in my final year of university. Since joining Randox, I have had opportunities to work across several Clinical and Molecular Laboratories with talented colleagues from all sorts of backgrounds; within Liverpool and London in England, Holywood and Antrim in N. Ireland and Los Angeles in California.
3. Do you enjoy the practical or theoretical aspect of biomedical science?
Theoretical- I have a drive to learn and understand and thankfully in science that is a continuous journey, as new forms of diagnostics and analysis are born and our understanding can grow or even change. With a good understanding of the science and a multidisciplinary team of talented individuals to collaborate with, it makes executing the practical work all the more rewarding.
4. What is your favourite part of your day in work?
The end of the day -but not why you might think. I have been trying to be more reflective and as the start of the day can be very busy and hands on, I have found it helpful to review my workload and responsibilities, as well as that of those I help lead, at the end of the day; to better look ahead to tomorrow and acknowledge the efforts of the team.
5. What’s in your lab coat pocket?
Pens, markers, and more pens. My favourite being my engineering pen, with a torch and stylus included. Thankfully we push for a more paperless world, but a busy lab can need some quick notes to be made. I’m also a very visual person and find it easiest to communicate to colleagues with notes or even a quick sketch.
6. In your opinion, what are the most important aspects of laboratory work?
The results we release. Fundamentally the data we release it for the benefit to the individual they deprived from. By stringently monitoring our quality checks and adhering to the procedures and processes we implement, we can have confidence that the results we release have a high level qualitative and interpretive value.
7. In what ways does your work make a difference to people’s lives?
At a personal level, as a clinical deputy manager I aim to optimise and evolve the duties of the colleagues I work with to make their jobs easier and more fulfilling and by extension the functionality of the lab more efficient.
In doing so, I broadly think the work we are doing as a collective, is bringing personalised testing to the masses and in doing so, add to improving the public’s understanding of science, in such that they can begin to take their health into their own hands in a measurable and meaningful way.
8. What is your dream career within biomedical science?
Living the dream. So far in my career I have been able to learn and develop within a profession that aligns with my interests, whilst simultaneously contributing to expanding and exciting industry. Throughout which I have had the opportunity to collaborate with many fantastic, talented, intelligent and hardworking people, from an array of disciplines, during the growth of a impressive clinical testing service as well as a nationwide covid testing service.
Jayme is a fundamental member of Randox and plays an essential role in the team, as do all our employees. Without our valuable laboratory team working extremely hard behind the scenes the lifesaving work we do here at Randox would not be possible. We thank each one of you for your hard work every day.
To find out more about our Biomedical Science, contact us at market@randox.com