A groundbreaking DNA sequencing service developed by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and Barts Health NHS Trust is set to revolutionise infection diagnosis in UK hospitals.
This innovation will enable doctors to deliver more targeted treatments earlier, leading to quicker recovery times, fewer complications such as sepsis, and a reduced risk of spreading infections.
The technology is currently being piloted to investigate and prevent hospital outbreaks caused by antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’, a growing global health threat.
The technology is currently being piloted to investigate and prevent hospital outbreaks caused by antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’
By rapidly identifying the bacteria responsible for infections and determining the most effective antibiotics, this method provides a significant advantage over traditional diagnostic techniques.
The findings, published on 6 March in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, confirm that the new DNA sequencing approach can reliably detect infections and recommend the best treatment within just two days.
This is a vast improvement compared to conventional methods, which can take up to seven days or, in complex cases, as long as eight weeks, according to MHRA.
The ultimate goal is to integrate rapid DNA sequencing into routine hospital diagnostics across the NHS
Since its launch in September 2024, over 2,000 patient samples have been analysed using this approach across seven London hospitals, including The Royal London, Whipps Cross, Newham, St Bartholomew’s, Homerton, Lewisham, and Greenwich.
The ultimate goal is to integrate rapid DNA sequencing into routine hospital diagnostics across the NHS, ensuring faster and more precise infection testing for patients nationwide.