One-minute through test to distinguish lower respiratory infection by analysis of sputum; exploring the mechanisms

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Infectious Diseases
• Medical Diagnostics

Background:

• Lower respiratory infections present with cough and fever, potentially leading to fatal outcomes.
• Limited diagnostic tools in non-equipped centers contribute to antibiotic overuse.
• Understanding non-specific immune responses can guide the development of novel diagnostic methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a sensitive and specific colorimetric dip-test for diagnosing lower respiratory infections.
• To investigate the underlying mechanism of the developed dip-test.
• To reduce antibiotic overconsumption by enabling accurate diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Development of a colorimetric dip-test utilizing sputum.
• Detection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and hepatocyte growth factor in patient sputum.
• Statistical analysis including P-values and Spearman Rank test to correlate results.

Main Results:

• The dip-test showed a significant difference (P < 0.0001) in detecting DNA and hepatocyte growth factor in respiratory infection patients compared to controls.
• A DNA concentration above 0.03 mg/ml induced a rapid and stable color change within 1 minute.
• The test demonstrated 100% recognition of respiratory infection cases with 72% specificity and a high negative predictive value, ruling out infection in two-thirds of cases.

Conclusions:

• The developed colorimetric dip-test is effective in detecting lower respiratory infections.
• The test identifies cell-free DNA in sputum as a key indicator.
• This diagnostic approach has the potential to significantly reduce unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions.