Rapid diagnostic tools for wound infections

Wound infections that result in bacteremia and even mortality are a significant problem among soldiers with soft tissue/burn injuries.Overall morbidity associated with such wounds could be reduced substantially if the infectious etiology of these infections was clarified rapidly, especially for the presence of select multidrug-resistant pathogens. Current methods for diagnosing wound infections are too time-consuming to be relevant, and so new diagnostic tools are required.In our Phase I, we developed and demonstrated a new optical biomarker that can detect bacteria at clinically relevant concentrations.We demonstrated the efficacy of this biomarker by accurately characterizing the presence/absence of bacteria in the plasma of blood obtained from hospitalized febrile patients.We also demonstrated a UV Raman modulation scheme that could be used to distinguish different pathogens.In the Phase II proposed here, we will extend this biomarker to characterize wound infections.We will show that we can accurately detect, characterize and distinguish the presence of MDR pathogens in the milieu of commensal bacteria that are often present at a wound site.With the availability of drugs that can target even the most drug-resistant pathogens, rapid confirmation of the presence of such pathogens can improve the outcome for wounded soldiers.In our Phase I, we developed and demonstrated a new optical biomarker that can detect bacteria at clinically relevant concentrations.We demonstrated the efficacy of this biomarker by accurately characterizing the presence/absence of bacteria in the plasma of blood obtained from hospitalized febrile patients.We also demonstrated a UV Raman modulation scheme that could be used to subclassify pathogens.In the Phase II proposed here, we will extend this biomarker to characterize wound infections.We will show that we can accurately detect, characterize and distinguish the presence of MDR pathogens in the milieu of commensal bacteria that are often present at a wound site.With the availability of drugs that can target even the most drug-resistant pathogens, rapid confirmation of the presence of such pathogens can improve the outcome for wounded soldiers.