"Antibiotics are not automatic" Do you remember this information campaign launched in 2002 to inform the French of the interest of antibiotics? Because yes, they are essential for treating infections caused by bacteria, but have absolutely no effectiveness against viral infections such as the flu. What is the problem ? Not only does the systematic prescription of antibiotics cost the Health Insurance very dearly, but above all, it leads to the development of new super-resistant bacteria, on which they have no effect. Hence the importance of reducing antibiotic prescriptions.
This new blood test, the principle of which was presented in the American journal Science Translational Medicine, analyzes 7 genes whose activity changes when the body is infected. This would make it possible to determine whether the infection is of bacterial origin (therefore treatable with antibiotics) or viral. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated on 96 children, but clinical trials must now be set up to validate the results. Another challenge for this blood test:delivering results in one hour, instead of 4 to 6 hours currently. This is a prerequisite for its marketing, because in the case of sepsis, every hour without antibiotics increases the risk of death. And of course, its price will have to make it affordable so that it is widely distributed. To be continued…
