Pathogen Polynucleotide Detection via Antibiotic-Induced Lysis

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current diagnostic methods for detecting pathogens in patients are often unreliable and time-consuming, particularly due to low concentrations of pathogen-derived polynucleotides in bodily fluids, which can lead to delayed or inappropriate treatments, and the risk of generating multi-resistant bacterial strains.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the administration of an anti-pathogenic agent to increase the concentration of pathogen polynucleotides in bodily fluids, followed by isolation, amplification, and detection, allowing for reliable and rapid identification of the pathogen and optimization of antibiotic treatment regimens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If diagnostic tests are performed to detect pathogen polynucleotides, then accurate pathogen identification is achieved, but the low concentration of polynucleotides in bodily fluids makes detection unreliable and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoiddetection reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by administering an anti-pathogenic agent (antibiotic) before performing the diagnostic test. This pre-treatment increases the concentration of pathogen polynucleotides in the bodily fluid through bacterial cell lysis, ensuring that sufficient target material is present for reliable and accurate detection when the sample is subsequently analyzed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Loss of time

If antibiotic treatment is administered immediately based on symptom assumption, then treatment time is reduced, but wrong or unspecific medication causes severe side effects and generates multi-resistant bacterial strains

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment delayVSAvoidside effects and multi-resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs a preliminary diagnostic test using polynucleotide detection before finalizing antibiotic treatment decisions. This intermediate step allows clinicians to identify the specific pathogen causing the infection, ensuring that the prescribed antibiotic is targeted and appropriate, thereby avoiding unnecessary side effects and preventing the development of multi-resistant strains while still reducing overall treatment delay

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by using the results of polynucleotide detection to guide and adjust antibiotic treatment decisions. The diagnostic information feeds back into the treatment selection process, allowing clinicians to choose the most effective antibiotic based on actual pathogen identification rather than symptom-based assumptions, thus preventing harmful effects and resistance development

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enables accurate and secure detection of pathogens, facilitating immediate and effective therapy, reducing the risk of multi-resistance and improving treatment outcomes by monitoring polynucleotide levels post-antibiotic administration.

Implementation Method 1

the amount of the polynucleotide which may be of pathogen origin is increased due to the effect of an anti-pathogenic agent which has been administered to the subject before

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCell lysis:

Implementation Method 2

the appearance of polynucleotides from pathogens is believed to be a result of fragmentation and degradation of DNA due to cell death

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDNA fragmentation and degradation: Decomposition (biological)

Implementation Method 3

isolating the polynucleotide from the bodily fluid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNucleic acid isolation:

Implementation Method 4

amplifying the polynucleotide

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNucleic acid amplification:

Implementation Method 5

assays on molecular basis which detect the presence of pathogen polynucleotides in a sample

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMolecular detection:

Implementation Method 6

another part of the plasma or circulatory polynucleotides crosses the kidney barrier and ends up in the urine of the subject

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectKidney filtration:

Data Source

PatentEP2920321B1Nucleic acid assay for diagnosing or monitoring a pathogen infection in a bodily fluid from a subject treated with an Anti-pathogenic agent

Publication Date: 2017.12.27 ALERE TECH

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AI summary

Described herein is a method and assay of detecting the presence of a polynucleotide in a bodily fluid obtained from a subject treated with an anti-pathogenic agent comprising isolating the polynucleotide from a first and a second sample of a bodily fluid, amplifying the polynucleotide, and determining the polynucleotide, wherein the polynucleotide is a pathogen polynucleotide. Further provided is a method for diagnosing a pathogen infection in a subject, for detecting a pathogen infection in a subject treated with an anti-pathogenic agent, and for detecting the presence and/or genotype of a pathogen in a bodily fluid.