Evaluation of efficacy of novel LGX probe for S. aureus detection

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Evaluation of efficacy of novel LGX test for Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) detection

• IRAS ID

  233122

• Contact name

  Adam De Lecq Le Gresley

• Contact email

  a.legresley@kingston.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Kingston University

• Duration of Study in the UK

  1 years, 6 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Infections with Staphylococcus aureus strains, both methicillin sensitive (MSSA) and methicillin resistant (MRSA), are a significant problem in hospitals. In Europe, aproximately 7% of patients develop healthcare acquired infections, estimated to cost up to £11bn annually to diagnose and treat. Effective rapid detection of Staphylococcus aureus is essential to address this problem. Current rapid techniques such as Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) are expensive (~ £25 per test). The more common technique is culturing, which is cheaper (~£7), however, where short result times are critical, such as in acute admission wards, culturing can take up to 46h and PCR 22hrs to provide a result for Staphylococcus aureus carriage/infection. This can lead to delays in the clinical decision-making process or decisions being made in the absence of that data.
  We have developed a fluorescent test (LGX), which provides a yes/no result to the question of S. aureus carriage within 30 minutes, tested in volunteers and shown to work. In collaboration with 1 hospital, this study involves the collection of two additional nasal swabs from patients along with their normal NHS MRSA screening swab. One of these additional patient swabs will be tested for S. aureus using the LGX test and the other will be evaluated using bacterial culture/molecular tests. Results from the LGX test, the bacterial culture and the routine NHS MRSA screen will be compared. This will enable the determination of the clinical diagnostic accuracy for the probe by measuring the clinical sensitivity & specificity. The additional swabs will collected from any adult patient, who would normally be screened for MRSA and is capable of giving informed consent. Any consenting patient will have the additional swabs taken (using a double headed swab) taking less than 1 minute after consent has been granted. No further follow-up with the patient will take place.

• REC name

  London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/LO/1807

• Date of REC Opinion

  10 Nov 2017

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion