Artificial nose ‘smells’ infection by detecting bacteria which cause blood poisoning

An artificial ‘nose’ can sniff out the bacteria that cause blood poisoning.

The device uses odour-detecting sensors to test for the lethal bugs in 24 hours rather than the usual 72, a difference that could save many lives.

Researchers hope it will be used to prevent sepsis, a condition that causes the immune system to overreact to infectious bacteria.

An estimated 20 to 35 per cent of victims of severe sepsis die.

The device consists of a small plastic bottle that contains a chemical sensing array or ‘artificial nose’.

A blood sample is injected into the bottle, which also contains a nutrient solution that helps bacteria to grow rapidly.

The growing bacteria release odours that are detected by sensors.

Dots of pigment on the ‘nose’ change colour depending on which bacteria are present, alerting doctors to danger.

It could be used in developing countries, researcher Dr James Carey, of Taiwan’s National University of Kaohsiung, said.

He said: ‘Our CSA blood culture bottle can be used almost anywhere in the world for a very low cost and minimal training.

‘All you need is someone to draw a blood sample, an ordinary shaker, incubator, a desktop scanner and a computer.’

Sepsis claims over 37,000 lives in the United Kingdom annually – more than lung cancer, and more than breast cancer and bowel cancer combined.

Source Mail Online