User: OPTILAB Capitale-Nationale
Complicated pneumonia is an infection often associated with fluid accumulation around the lungs. These infections typically require antimicrobial treatment for several weeks. In the past, doctors would frequently drain the excess fluid around the lungs, believing it would accelerate recovery. This procedure also provided an opportunity to culture microbes and identify the pathogens responsible for the infection. However, recent findings have shown that invasive fluid drainage is often unnecessary, and patients generally improve when treated with the appropriate antimicrobials.
Unfortunately, when the exact microbial cause is unknown, patients may not receive the correct antimicrobials, leading to worsening or relapse of the infection. In response, doctors often resort to broad-spectrum antibiotics, which, while effective in the short term, contribute to the development of antibiotic-resistant microbes, posing a significant threat to future treatments.
To address this, we are developing a blood-based test to detect and identify circulating traces of harmful microbes (such as DNA and small molecules) with easily collectable samples. We will first optimize the method using a small number of patient samples as proof of concept before advancing to a larger clinical trial. Ultimately, our goal is to implement this test in hospital laboratories across Quebec and Canada at an affordable cost. This innovative approach will significantly improve the diagnosis and management of patients with complicated pneumonia.