What threat does AMR present to the health care environment?

In a worse-case scenario the increasingly worrying levels of AMR globally will have a significant negative effect on healthcare. Without effective antimicrobials to treat a wide arrange of infectious diseases, people will be more likely to get ill, be unresponsive to medications, which in turn will result in longer hospital stays, increased economic burden, lower levels of quality of life and ultimately poorer prognosis including elevated levels of morbidity and mortality.

How does Randox help in the fight against AMR?

Randox have developed and continue to develop infectious disease tests to detect a wide-range infectious disease. Randox have also included resistance gene markers within these molecular-based PCR tests to determine if an infection is sensitive or resistance to certain antimicrobials.

In addition to diagnostic tests, Randox also supply quality control materials such as third-party molecular controls and external quality assessment schemes that are used in molecular microbiology laboratories to ensure their PCR tests are working accurately and robustly. This means that labs can provide the correct information to clinicians that is vitally important to determine what antibiotic therapy is prescribed to the patient.

Can you tell us about any exciting developments in Randox?

Randox are continuously investing and reinvesting in our Molecular Research and Development departments. We have recently released a molecular point of care test that can discriminate between MRSA and MSSA. This means that sufficient isolation and correct primary treatment can be provided to the patient in a timelier fashion. We are in the process of releasing a UTI test that can detect over 20 UTI-related bacterial infections. In addition to these pathogens, this test also determines if the pathogens detected are resistant to commonly used antibiotics such as Trimethoprim or Vancomycin.

Furthermore, Randox are releasing an immunoassay-based point of care machine called the VerasSTAT, which includes tests for CRP and MxA biomarkers. These biomarkers are released into the bloodstream during infection as part of the body’s immune response. CRP and MxA can assist the clinician in determining if an infection is of bacterial or viral origin.

What measures do you think we can take to prevent the spread of AMR?

Improved personal hygiene and sanitation will reduce transmission of infectious diseases within the global population. The development of more innovative and more easily accessible antibiotics, as well as improved antibiotic stewardship within clinical settings will also help slow down the alarming rates of AMR globally. Most importantly, the creation of new syndromic style testing panels, like the tests currently provided by Randox will undoubtedly improve the clinical outcome for patients who are have an infectious disease.