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High Dependency Agar (HDA) Medium

The Problem

The UK Health Protection Agency estimates that 9% of inpatients have a healthcare associated infection (HCAI) at any one time. These infections are becoming more difficult to treat due to the increased levels of anti-microbial resistance associated with common bacterial pathogens or so called ‘super-bugs’. The most significant of these is Staphylococcus aureus which is indicated in the majority of HCAI’s attributed to blood infections of which there were 18,533 in the UK 2004/05. Of these, MRSA caused 7,212, representing an almost 50-fold increase since 1991.
 
However, MRSA is not the only ‘super-bug’, and other antibiotic resistant species are increasingly being encountered. The most significant of these by incidence are E. coli, P. aeruginosa, Klebsiella spp, glycopeptide resistant enterococci (GREs), and extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) species or ‘mega-bugs’ that continue to increase in potency, prevalence, and clinical significance.
 

The Solution 

The HDA product was devised by Dr Michael Ford, Laboratory Services Manager at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle Upon Tyne, and has been developed to permit the selective and simultaneous detection of MRSA and other micro-organisms, principally Enterobacteriaceae, that produce antibiotic resistance enzymes such as ESBL’s including AmpC ß-lactamase.
 
The key principle of the medium is the specific  inclusion of a combination of antibiotics at various concentrations which together allow the selective growth of MRSA, ESBL and AmpC producing strains on the same plate, whilst inhibiting the growth of non-resistant species that make up the normal constituent micro-flora of the body.
 
Additional multi drug resistant (MDR) strains such as Klebsiella spp and Pseudomonas spp can also be identified using the medium which is already in routine clinical use at the Freeman Hospital where it is proving to be an invaluable tool in the fight against HCAI’s

The Opportunity 

There has already been significant interest in the formulation which is protected under a UK patent application, and discussions are ongoing with a number of global diagnostics manufacturers.However, expressions of interest are still welcome, and additional product information can be obtained from Nicola Wesley on 0191 5164400 or email nicola.wesley@nhsinnovationsnorth.org.uk  
 

24/Feb/2010

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