THE MILTON S. HERSHEY MEDICAL CENTER

Penn State's STREAM Platform Condenses Sepsis Diagnosis from Days to Hours

- A Penn State-led team developed STREAM, a platform that rapidly grows and analyzes bacteria to identify bloodstream infection pathogens in as little as seven hours, versus two to seven days for conventional culturing. - The approach integrates single-cell imaging, computer algorithms, and antibiotic susceptibility testing to simultaneously name the pathogen and recommend effective antibiotics before sepsis develops. - Testing on about 100 positive blood samples showed comprehensive diagnosis within hours, though a 4% "very major error" rate and challenges with pre-treated patients remain hurdles before clinical use. - The framework offers a scalable foundation that could expand to fungal infections and aims to curb worsening antibiotic resistance through faster, more targeted treatment.