A New blood test to detect the risk of infection in minutes

Scientists have created a device that is able to detect a person's risk of infection from a drop of blood within minutes, as opposed to current methods, which can take up to 2 hours.

One common laboratory test to determine an individual's risk of infection is the counting of Neutrophils in the blood, known as absolute Neutrophils count. Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell found in human blood. neutrophils are the "body's first line of defense" against inflammation and infection.

Within minutes of detecting infection, the neutrophils flee from the blood toward tissue, where they settle at the sites of infection. However in many cases, it may not be enough to just count the neutrophils. If neutrophils do not migrate well and cannot reach inside the tissues, this situation could have the same consequences as a low neutrophil count.

With this in mind, the researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital created a "miniaturized silicone-based device" that they say is able to measure migration patterns of neutrophils from a finger prick of blood, and this can be carried out within a matter of minutes. They conclude that being able to measure patients' risk of infections in a matter of minutes from only a droplet of blood is a "significant improvement and one that will improve current treatment.