Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, led by Dr. Partho Sarathi Gooh Pattader, have developed a 3D-printed device that enables rapid and cost-effective diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTI).
The wearable device is a photodetector that detects specific bacteria that cause UTI. Diagnosis takes only five minutes and costs the equivalent of less than 10 cents per test. Previous methods such as urine culture take at least two days.
The point-of-care testing (POCT) prototype detects the Klebsiella pneumoniae bacterium, which often causes UTI, as well as lung or soft tissue infections. According to the developers, early detection is important to promptly initiate the appropriate antibiotic therapy.
The material costs for the photodetector are the equivalent of about 7 euros. The accuracy has been compared in tests with hospital results and rated as very good.
The IIT Guwahati researchers see great potential to commercialize the technology for low-cost and rapid UTI testing. The mobile device could save many lives, especially in rural areas with poor infrastructure. The details were published in the journal ACS Applied Bio Materials.
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