Scientists have learned to identify infections in newborns by DNA Bashny.Net

For the first time, researchers at the University of Edinburgh have been able to detect and decode a signal generated by a baby’s DNA that will help doctors determine whether or not there is a bacterial infection in a newborn’s bloodstream.

The findings will allow scientists to develop a test for bacterial infection in newborns using just a drop of blood. Such infections are the leading cause of death among young children, and there is no simple test. Accurate diagnosis of infection can limit the use of antibiotics that can lead to drug resistance.

Scientists used blood samples from newborns to study thousands of signals recorded in a biological code known as matrix RNA. The team from Edinburgh decoded, with almost 100 per cent accuracy, signals generated by the infant's genome to determine if they were suffering from sepsis.

Professor Peter Ghazal said: The baby’s genome produces short messages or signals that carry code information to communicate with the infant’s immune and metabolic systems so that it can fight infection. The appearance of a 52-character "tweet" or message allows us to identify a bacterial, but not viral, infection. This type of signal can also be used to detect infection in children and adults. We are now working on ways to use a single drop of blood to detect this vital signal.”

Source: nauka24news.ru/