Washington: A new study by American scientists suggests a new and a more accurate urine test to diagnose community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Researchers believe the test could help save numerous life by enabling doctors to start treatment procedures earlier.
Carolyn Slupsky explains that various bacteria and viruses can cause pneumonia. Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is one of the microbes that cause CAP. She points out that conventional blood tests may fail to detect these germs, which leads to a delay in the administration of the right antibiotic to the patient.
The latest research found that S. pneumoniae infection produces a distinct pattern of metabolites in the urine and these are as unique as fingerprints.
The identification of these patterns can lead to early diagnosis of CAP.The study has been published online in ACS`` Journal of Proteome Research.
ANI