The research group at the Indian Institute of Technology in Guwahati (IIT Guwahati), led by Dr. Partho Sarathi Gooh Pattader, has created a 3D printed UTI diagnosis device that can quickly and accurately identify the bacteria responsible for urinary tract infections. The 3D printed UTI diagnosis device can measure and identify the type of bacteria in a UTI-suspected patient in 5 minutes compared to conventional detection, which uses a urine culture that requires a few days.
The paper titled “Specific Instantaneous Detection of Klebsiella pneumoniae for UTI Diagnosis with a Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticle Conjugated Aptasensor” is published in the prestigious peer-reviewed journal ACS Applied Bio Materials. It fully describes the POCT prototype. Mr. Aniruddha Deb, Dr. Swapnil Sinha, and Ms. Mousumi Gogoi of Altanostic Lab Private Limited, IITG Research Park, and Prof. Tapas K Mandal of IIT Guwahati wrote the study.
UTIs are a widespread health problem, and India is no exception. Common in pregnant women, it is caused by a wide range of microorganisms. Burning or discomfort during urination, together with an urgent need to pee often, is the hallmark of a urinary tract infection (UTI). When the infection reaches the kidneys, it can cause major complications. It takes too long and costs too much money to test for UTIs, therefore many infections go undiagnosed in rural regions.
Urine culture is the gold standard for diagnosis, but it takes at least two days to discover the exact bacterium. Doctors cannot treat a UTI with medication until the bacterium causing it is identified. The patient has discomfort before the root cause of the UTI is identified, and in extreme circumstances, this may result in the patient’s death. So this 3D printed UTI diagnosis device is very useful and cost-effective.
Significance of the 3D Printed UTI Diagnosis Device
Dr. Partho Sarathi Gooh Pattader, Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Guwahati, explains why their research for 3D printed UTI diagnosis device is so vital: “Early-stage detection of UTI is important to provide timely treatment.” IIT Guwahati’s prototype for point-of-care testing (POCT) is a photodetector that can identify and quantify Klebsiella pneumoniae, the bacterium responsible for causing UTIs, in a patient’s urine sample in as little as five minutes. UTIs aren’t the only thing “Klebsiella pneumoniae” is responsible for; it may also cause pneumonia and soft-tissue infections, making its diagnosis crucial.
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The Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) all provided funding for this study of 3D printed UTI diagnosis device.
Dr. Pattader explained the method: “We have utilised gold nanoparticles with specifically-engineered aptamers. Like a jigsaw piece, an aptamer is designed to fit snugly onto the outer membrane of a certain type of bacterium. A UV-Visible Spectrophotometer can then identify the signal given off by the accumulated gold nanoparticles on the surface of the target bacterium.
When the aptamer, gold nanoparticles, and bacteria come together, the biosensor prototype detects a shift in light intensity. Due to the instantaneous combination of the aptamer with the bacterium, the detection time is low. In addition to its potential utility in primary care, the created prototype is generic because the technique may be adjusted to accommodate new bacterial species.
Dr. Swapnil Sinha, of Altanostic Lab Private Limited at the IIT Guwahati Research Park and a co-author on this study of 3D printed UTI diagnosis device, elaborated on the gadget’s potential uses, saying, “We have demonstrated and validated the results obtained from our device with the hospital results following conventional methods.” It’s a perfect fit. Therefore, the technology may be improved and licenced to a business for widespread use.
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