MEDICINE
A FAST SPIN TEST FOR URINARY TRACT INFECTION A spinning toy meets hydrodynamics and sets point-of-care diagnostics in motion.
ASIA RE SEA RC H N EWS
A spinning microfluidic device, developed brane. As the sample drains through, to filter a one-millilitre sample, despite a by researchers at the Ulsan National Insti- bacteria particles accumulate on top. A large variation in the spin speed generattute of Science and Technology (UNIST) drainage chamber beneath the mem- ed by people with different hand power.” and Korea’s Institute for Basic Science brane is filled with a buffer solution that The team demonstrated the efficacy (IBS), can detect urinary tract infection ensures uniform filtration of the urine of their device by testing urine samples in under an hour. Inspired from 39 people suspected of by the popular fidget spinhaving urinary tract infection in Tiruchirappalli, India. The ner toy, it works much faster results were reported in the than conventional laboratory journal Nature Biomedical tests, which can take days to Engineering. Compared to return results. the gold-standard culture “Our simple, rapid test method, the diagnostic fidcan help improve patient care, especially in low-reget spinner provided a comsource settings, and ensure parable result on-site in only only those with infection 50 minutes. The device can receive antibiotics, helping also test bacteria susceptibilin the global fight against ity to two different antibiotantibiotic resistance,” says ics in less than two hours to UNIST biomedical engineer determine which one would The popular fidget spinner toy (above) inspired the design for the urinary tract infection test device (below). Yoon-Kyoung Cho, who led be more effective for treatthe research. ing the patient. Besides being fast, the Sometimes, people sustest is inexpensive, portable pected of having a urinary and accurate, requiring only tract infection are given ana small urine sample that is tibiotics before confirming added to the device by a test results. The study found pipet. A flick of a finger sets that 59% of patients were the gadget in motion. over- or under-prescribed The spinning motion creantibiotics while waiting for ates a centrifugal force that, conventional test results. combined with the research“I hope our rapid on-site er’s new fluid assisted septest can help more patients aration technology (FAST), get the most effective treatworks to filter and enrich ment, especially since UTIs Credit: UNIST bacteria in the sample so inare one of the most common fection can be detected by the naked eye through the membrane with minimal infections in the world,” Cho says. based on colour. A larger infection results hydrodynamic resistance. The team plans to continue investigatin a darker orange or red colour. “This allowed for maximized bacterial ing ways to adapt the diagnostic fidget Specifically, the centrifugal force cell enrichment efficiency while minimiz- spinner for other diseases, including viral pushes the urine sample outwards so ing the force needed for the filtration,” infection. that it spreads over a filtration mem- says Cho. “One or two spins were enough
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Credit: antishock | 123rf
Professor Yoon-Kyoung Cho | yoonkyoung.cho@gmail.com Department of Biomedical Engineering Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology
Further information
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