Bacterial pathogens were detected from human exhaled breath using a novel protocol

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Diagnostics

Background:

• Limited evidence exists for breath-borne transmission of respiratory bacterial infections.
• Point-of-care diagnostic methods for bedside infection detection are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate bacterial pathogens exhaled by humans using a novel protocol integrating exhaled breath condensate (EBC) collection and Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP).
• To develop a rapid, point-of-care diagnostic method for respiratory bacterial infections.

Main Methods:

• Exhaled breath condensates were collected from patients with respiratory symptoms using the PKU BioScreen device.
• Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) was employed to detect various bacterial pathogens.
• Results were validated against PCR analysis of throat swabs from the same patients.

Main Results:

• Bacterial pathogens including *H. influenzae*, *P. aeruginosa*, *E. coli*, *S. aureus*, and MRSA were detected in exhaled breath.
• Seven types of pathogens were detected in 36.5% of patients.
• The EBC-LAMP protocol provided results within 20-60 minutes, demonstrating potential for rapid diagnosis.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully detected bacterial pathogens, including super-resistant MRSA, in exhaled breath, suggesting breathing as a potential transmission route.
• The developed EBC-LAMP protocol offers a valuable tool for rapid bedside pathogen screening, especially in resource-limited or remote areas.