PORTON DOWN, England, April 5 (UPI) -- British researchers have developed a test that will speed up the identification of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals.
The new test will allow quicker treatment for patients and curb the spread of infections, according to the researchers at Acolyte Biomedica, a private medical firm.
The test tracks down methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, bacteria by tagging them with luminescent enzymes and measuring the light they give off. The test uses technology first developed by the military to monitor airborne bacteria for bioweapon detection.
Worldwide infections of MRSA have steadily escalated since it was first detected in the 1960s. In Britain, where the problem has caused widespread public alarm, MRSA costs nearly $2 billion per year, the online version of the British journal Nature reported.
MRSA is usually carried harmlessly on the skin, but causes infection when it enters wounds or affects weak immune systems. It can be fatal because its resistance to antibiotics makes it difficult to treat.
