Indian scientists make affordable dipstick test to track AMR in sewage, PgII

Key Highlights:

• Indian scientists at THSTI Faridabad have created an affordable dipstick test to detect antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in sewage.
• The test costs around ₹400-550 per unit, significantly cheaper than alternatives like shotgun sequencing (over ₹9,000).
• The dipstick can identify 16 different resistance genes in a sample within two hours.
• Scientists analyzed sewage from 381 sites across Assam, Haryana, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
• The test is designed for use in low- and middle-income countries due to its affordability and efficiency.

Detailed Insights:

• AMR in urban sewage is a significant concern in India, acting as a reservoir for resistance genes.
• The dipstick assay involves collecting sewage, isolating genetic material, amplifying resistance genes via PCR, and using a dipstick with a detection reagent to visually confirm the presence of AMR genes.
• Sewage surveillance provides an early warning system for resistance development, reflecting antibiotic usage in communities, hospitals, and farms.
• The dipstick assay can be upgraded in just three days to detect newly discovered resistance genes.
• While the dipstick offers rapid insights, experts recommend careful interpretation, as the presence of a gene indicates the possibility, not certainty, of a resistant organism.
• The assay can help identify areas with inadequate wastewater treatment or high antibiotic use, enabling targeted public health interventions.
• This technology can also assess the effectiveness of pharmaceutical effluent treatment plants in reducing the spread of resistance.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): The ability of microbes to resist the effects of drugs, making infections harder to treat.

AMR

• PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction): A laboratory technique used to amplify DNA sequences, making them easier to detect and study.
• Shotgun Sequencing: A method used to sequence all DNA in a sample, providing a comprehensive picture of resistance genes.