New blood-based biomarker to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections

 IISc researchers identify new blood based biomarkers to distinguish between bacterial & viral infections

As COVID-19 stands as a  distant testimony to the damage an infectious disease can cause to human health and welfare, a major challenge in treating such diseases is misdiagnosis, which can lead to trial-and-error treatments, and improper use of antibiotics. Identifying the correct type of infection, is, therefore critical.

In Karnataka, a study by the Bengaluru based Indian Institute of Science has identified a set of molecular biomarkers which will help detect and predict viral or bacterial infections with high probability. It was discovered that a ten-gene RNA signature is produced in the patient's blood based on the quantity of viral and bacterial infections. The human body produces different types of molecules in the blood depending on the type of infection.

Identifying the correct type of infection will help doctors prescribe proper antibiotics to patients. The first author of the study, Sathyabaarathi Ravichandran who is a Resea Associate in the Department of Biochemistry, says that if diagnosis is right, half the battle won against the disease. The study will help differentiate between COVID 19 infections fr bacterial infections. The study has been published in the EBioMedicine journal.