Thread’s approach to healthcare meets the requirements of the twenty-first century. Thread has integrated technology to develop devices that solve problems impeding efficient healthcare delivery.
Thread has developed CultureStat to improve testing for Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).
Thread’s technology integrates biological science with Artificial Intelligence resulting in a different approach to in-situ IVD testing using a culture technique.
Receiving results quickly and accurately are important when diagnosing elderly patients in nursing homes. This is because the symptoms for UTI and dementia can be quite similar. Determining which affliction the patient is suffering from is time sensitive and the result must be accurate enough to rely upon. Undiagnosed or misdiagnosed UTI’s can lead to complicated secondary infections or even death from sepsis.
The rise of antimicrobial resistant bacteria is recognized by domestic and international health monitoring organizations as one of the greatest global public health concerns currently being faced.
Thread’s CultureStat rapid test for UTI distinguishes between lag & log phase bacterial growth. This ability to differentiate between lag vs log phase sets CultureStat’s technology apart from other testing methods.
CultureStat enhances the Physician/Patient relationship, is a valuable front line tool in the battle against antimicrobial resistant “super bugs” and reduces healthcare costs..
These super bug bacteria have mutated and adapted as a result of various contributing factors. Among these factors is the unnecessary prescribing of antimicrobial drugs for certain infections. Patient’s who are suspected of having a UTI prior to receiving accurate test results or incorrect diagnosis due to inaccurate rapid test results are the leading cause of improperly prescribed antimicrobial prescriptions and contributor to antimicrobial resistance.
The current state of other bacterial testing such as agar plating are virtually unchanged from their inception 145 years ago. The challenges of a process partially relying on human interpretation introduce subjective error.
It is difficult to accurately compensate for the subjective nature of the entire plating process. Urine tested in a lab is rarely within recommend guidelines for testing fresh urine (within 2 hours of collection).
Other test methods such as reactive treated strips and dipsticks are rapid but are subjective and have extremely low performance levels for use in UTI diagnosis. Strips and dipsticks only react to byproducts of the biological process of the bacteria and human body’s interaction with it.
Many potential variables impact the test result. Even if measures are taken to mitigate the skewing of test results as a result of subjectivity or pitfalls in the underlying technology, the time constraints or inaccuracy of other tests and inability to determine lag vs log phase bacterial growth contributes to the super bug crisis.
CultureStat rapid UTI test gives healthcare professionals a test result they can rely upon as part of their diagnosis in less time while promoting antimicrobial stewardship and reducing healthcare cost.
At Thread Bioscience we share the same passion for microbiology and discovery as Antony van Leeuwenhoek, considered by many to be the founding father of microbiology.
Are you curious about why we named the company Thread Bioscience? Read about Antony van Leeuwenhoek and find out.