Two New Tests for Bacterial Infections

BD Diagnostics and Nanosphere have received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration for their respective tests for bacterial infections. The BD Max MRSA assay, which runs on the BD Max system, determines whether or not patients are infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. "The BD Max MRSA assay is an easy-to-use, cost-effective method to identify patients colonized with this deadly superbug, which may support better outcomes for the patient and a safer hospital environment," says Tom Polen, BD Diagnostics' president, in a statement.

Nanosphere's Gram-Positive Blood Culture Nucleic Acid Test, which runs on the company's Verigene system, detects a range of bacteria as well as markers for antibiotic resistance in those bacteria. "With the BC-GP test, patients suspected of deadly infections can now get a first-ever diagnostic tool for detecting disease-causing bacteria while simultaneously determining antibiotic resistance within the critical timeframe for making and adjusting initial treatment," says William Moffitt, CEO of Nanosphere, in a statement.