Rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing using low-cost, commercially available screen-printed electrodes.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Microbiology
• Analytical Chemistry

Background:

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant global health threat, necessitating improved diagnostic tools.
• Current methods for antibiotic susceptibility testing are time-consuming, delaying appropriate treatment.
• Enhanced antimicrobial stewardship is crucial to combat the rising mortality and economic burden of AMR.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a rapid, low-cost electrochemical method for determining bacterial antibiotic susceptibility.
• To utilize screen-printed electrodes and hydrogel modification for bacterial growth monitoring.
• To differentiate between susceptible and resistant bacterial strains using electrochemical techniques.

Main Methods:

• Screen-printed electrodes modified with agarose-based hydrogels were used.
• Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) were employed to monitor bacterial growth.
• Susceptible and resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains were tested against antibiotics on modified electrodes.

Main Results:

• Bacterial growth was observed on electrodes without antibiotics but inhibited with antibiotics for susceptible strains.
• Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) demonstrated growth on electrodes with antibiotics.
• Rapid growth profiles were obtained, with potential results in under 45 minutes.

Conclusions:

• The developed electrochemical method offers a significantly faster alternative to current antibiotic susceptibility testing.
• This approach can aid in improving antibiotic stewardship and reducing the spread of resistant organisms.
• The low-cost, rapid nature of this technique holds promise for clinical diagnostics.