Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1506996
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 SEPTEMBER 2023 NEWS NEWS IN a remarkable stride that promises to reshape the land- scape of fighting infection, Dr Ernest Azzopardi, a clinical academic in plastic reconstruc- tive and burn surgery, has re- cently secured patents in both the USA and EU for a pioneer- ing method that swiftly iden- tifies invasive bacterial infec- tions in biological samples. This pragmatic approach has the potential to redefine how we address these perilous threats to human health, at a time when the world grapples with an escalating antibiotic resistance crisis, as highlighted in recent media reports. The granting of Patent rights in the USA and EU is a complex process that requires a thor- ough technical examination of the invention and its originality over several years. This is even more so in the case of platform patients which lay claim to a process across a range of different technologies. This is an important step of the process towards having such a device at the bedside, the next step being the seeking of com- mercial partners. Patents have recently also been validated in individual countries. Since bacteria are so different form each other, finding the one prized part of the bacteria that is common to all has elud- ed scientists. Rather, Dr Azzo- pardi and colleagues focussed on the fact that when most bacteria become infective, they cause circulation around the infected area to become leaky. Dr Azzopardi's innovation suc- cessfully showed that larger, specific molecules seep into leaky vessels but cannot leak back out. If this marker is raised when compared to its blood levels, it initiates an interaction with the biosensor, generating a clear and unequivocal signal. This resulting platform is both remarkably simple, straightfor- ward and inexpensive. A shift in the bedside approach Bacterial infections, an ev- er-present menace to global public health, can precipitate severe illnesses and, in severe cases, fatal consequences. The urgency for swift and precise diagnosis looms large in the battle against these invisible enemies particularly in the context of the mounting anti- biotic resistance crisis. Anti- biotics, once hailed as medical marvels, are losing their effica- cy due to overuse and misuse. This trend has given rise to a wave of drug-resistant bacteria, rendering infections increas- ingly resistant to treatment. Current tests detect inflam- mation, or the presence of bac- teria, take time, from hours to days but do not actually detect invasive infection. This means that many patients that do not have infections may be over- prescribed antibiotics "just in case", leading to the rise of bacterial resistance. Even more worryingly, some patients which actually do have serious infections may be diagnosed late, or even not at all, and con- sequently do not get the anti- biotics they desperately need. What distinguishes this inno- vation is its remarkable practi- cality, being designed for use as a bedside test, to swiftly deter- mine the diagnosis. Early in hu- man tests have shown a prom- ising accuracy of >90% and five to 10 minutes for a result. Pioneering breakthrough Not being able to accurately and immediately identify an in- vasive infection is a major issue in modern medicine. In a world perpetually threatened by bac- terial infections and the loom- ing spectre of antibiotic resist- ance, such inventions provide much-needed hope. Its sim- plicity, speed, and potential to reset the trajectory of bacterial infection management, ensur- ing precise and timely care for patients. US and EU patents granted to Maltese clinical academic Dr Ernest Azzopardi POLICE investigations in- to a drug trafficking opera- tion led to the arrest of an 18-year-old youth in Marsa. The police received in- formation that in the areas of Triq il-Ġerrejja, a man was seen driving a motor- cycle, and was trying to sell drugs. After observing his move- ments, a police search on the motorcycle led to 74 baggies containing a white substance suspected of be- ing cocaine, and 25 baggies with a brown substance suspected of being heroin. The young man was ar- rested, and Magistrate Elaine Rizzo launched an inquiry into the case. Po- lice investigations are on- going. Youth, 18, caught selling cocaine and heroin in Marsa What distinguishes this innovation is its remarkable practicality, being designed for use as a bedside test, to swiftly determine the diagnosis