Molecular multiplex biochip array verification using urine samples
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Verification of a molecular biochip array for the detection of urinary tract pathogens from urine samples.
IRAS ID
221542
Contact name
Michael Tunney
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen's University Belfast
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common bacterial infection especially within the community healthcare setting. When a patient develops symptoms of a urine infection, a sample of their urine is usually sent to a laboratory for analysis. Within the laboratory, the bacteria causing the infection are identified and an antibiotic is selected for treatment if required. This process can take up to 72 hours before the doctor receives the result. New and different methods have been shown to offer quicker detection of bacteria in urine.
This study aims to test a molecular biochip array using urine samples to ensure that detection of the most common urinary pathogens is occurring.
For this study, surplus urine samples will to be collected from the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust once normal urine analysis has been completed. No patient data is required; however, culture results and antibiotic susceptibility data for the urine samples will be collected.
Bacteria and bacterial DNA extracted from urine samples may be transferred to a third party from the QUB laboratory. In this case the third party is Randox Laboratories Ltd. Under the terms of the Material Transfer Agreement with BHSCT this material is made available for evaluative use only in eg. laboratory animals, or in vitro experiments. The material will not be used in human beings and will not be genetically manipulated.Summary of study results:
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common bacterial infection. When a patient develops symptoms of a urine infection, a sample of their urine is usually sent to a laboratory for analysis. Growing bugs in the laboratory is the main method currently used to determine what bugs are causing infection. These methods are slow and time-consuming and can take up to 72 hours before the doctor receives the result. New molecular based methods which isolate genetic material from these bugs could potentially improve the accuracy and speed at which bugs are detected. In this study, we tested the accuracy of these new methods in identifying bacteria in urine samples compared with usual methods used in the laboratory.
REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/SC/0302
Date of REC Opinion
15 Jun 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion