PathCrisp, a new CRISPR-based molecular diagnostic platform designed for quick detection of antibiotic resistance in hospital-acquired infections, was introduced by Bengaluru-based biotech company CrisprBits. The urgent need for early identification of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global health issue, is addressed by this technology.
The ability to recognize things quickly
Results from conventional techniques for the identification of antibiotic resistance take 24 to 27 hours. Conversely, PathCrisp has dramatically cut this time by providing precise results within a mere two hours. CRISPR assays embedded in microfluidic chips facilitate this accelerated process by recognizing infection patterns and antibiotic resistance with precision from a combination of samples such as blood, urine, swabs, and bronchial lavage. Interestingly, the platform is kept at a uniform temperature, making it simpler to diagnose and dispelling the necessity for thermocyclers. Overcoming a Global Health Challenge
Globally, antimicrobial resistance is a serious public health crisis. In a recent global estimate in The Lancet, resistant infections were directly responsible for more than a million of the nearly 4.7 million global deaths in 2021 due to AMR. India alone reported more than a million deaths due to AMR in 2019.
Prevalence of New Delhi metallo-beta-lactamase (NDM), an enzyme making bacteria resistant to carbapenems, a class of antibiotics usually kept in reserve for use as a last resort, is one of the most important issues in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Treatment choices are extremely limited because NDM allows bacteria to break down beta-lactam antibiotics, including carbapenems. In a 49 clinical bacterial isolate trial, PathCrisp showed 100% agreement when compared with reference methods like PCR-Sanger sequencing, confirming its efficacy in NDM-mediated resistance identification. Implications for Medical Care
Healthcare treatment and services are both significantly impacted by possessing the ability of quick and accurate detection of antibiotic resistance.
PathCrisp can aid in making proper and timely decisions about treatment by cutting down the diagnostic times to as low as two hours from more than a day. This would have the potential to minimize hospital stays and related healthcare expenditure. Furthermore, avoiding the spread of resistant strains in healthcare settings can be achieved through the implementation of effective infection control measures with the support of early detection of resistant infections.
The study’s corresponding author, Dr. Reety Arora, Principal Scientist at CrisprBits, emphasized the working efficiency of the platform:
“It is constant temperature, no need for thermocycler, and directly targets multiple samples like cultures of bacteria.”
Because it is not specialized equipment, PathCrisp can be easily incorporated into current lab routines because it is so simple.
In conclusion
PathCrisp’s development by CrisprBits is a major milestone in the battle against antibiotic resistance. With advanced CRISPR technology, the platform provides a quick, precise, and useful method of identifying antibiotic resistance to improve patient outcomes and global public health initiatives.
