Combat Antimicrobial Resistance with FebriDx
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat to global health. It is estimated that bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019 and contributed to 4.95 million deaths1.
In the UK alone, it was estimated that over 58k people in England had an AMR infection in 2022 with over 2k people dying because of severe antibiotic resistant infections2.
In May, the UK government announced a new 5-year action plan to combat AMR.
It is widely accepted that the growing threat of AMR has been largely driven by the overuse of antibiotics. Reducing unnecessary or misdiagnosed antibiotics is therefore vital to fighting AMR.
New studies indicate that the FebriDx point-of-care test device could hold the key to winning this battle.
New findings
A new independent study by UK researchers, published in the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy3, has shown that using FebriDx led to a substantial reduction in antibiotic prescribing intentions for patients with lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs).
In the study - the largest study evaluating the potential clinical impact of FebriDx in primary care - doctors at nine different GP practices used the FebriDx test on patients with LRTI who were deemed likely to receive antibiotic prescriptions.
After testing, clinicians were more confident that antibiotics were not required in 51% of patients, while for 31% of patients, the test strengthened their decision to prescribe antibiotics.
Overall, use of FebriDx to guide antibiotic prescribing for LRTI in primary care was associated with a substantial reduction in prescribing intentions.
This research suggests that FebriDx has the potential to be a powerful tool to help address the global challenge of AMR.
By providing clinicians with rapid and accurate information about the nature of a patient's infection, FebriDx can empower them to make more informed decisions about antibiotic use, ultimately benefiting both individual patients and public health.
Mounting evidence
Though this new study using FebriDx was the largest of its kind to date, the conclusions drawn are nothing new and adds to a long line of evidence supporting its use and efficiency.
In 2018, research concluded that FebriDx’s 97–99% Negative Predictive Value (NPV) may help to identify clinically significant bacterial URI’s and supports outpatient antibiotic decisions4.
Another study found that FebriDx demonstrated diagnostic performance that may inform clinicians when assessing for bacterial or viral etiology of ARI symptoms5.
What is FebriDx and how does it work?
By taking a finger prick blood sample, FebriDx can detect the presence of both C-reactive protein (CRP) and Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA).
Available in as little as 10 minutes, the results of the FebriDx test can indicate what kind of infection the patient may or may not have.
The test’s 99% Negative Predictive Value (NPV) can safely rule out a bacterial infection.
Suitable for both children and adults, FebriDx can be easily used by GPs, nurses and healthcare workers.
Sources:
1) Murray CJ, Ikuta KS, Sharara F, Swetschinski L, Aguilar GR, Gray A, et al. Global burden of Bacterial Antimicrobial Resistance in 2019: a Systematic Analysis. Lancet (2022) 399(10325):629–55. 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02724-0
2) English surveillance programme for antimicrobial utilisation and resistance (ESPAUR) report. Available at; https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-surveillance-programme-antimicrobial-utilisation-and-resistance-espaur-report
3) Wilcox CR, Odeh N et al. Use of the FebriDx host-response point-of-care test may reduce antibiotic use for respiratory tract infections in primary care: a mixed-methods feasibility study Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. 2024
4) Shapiro NI, Self WH, Rosen J, et al. A prospective, multi-centre US clinical trial to determine accuracy of FebriDx point-of-care testing for acute upper respiratory infections with and without a confirmed fever. Ann Med. Aug 2018;50(5):420-429. doi:10.1080/07853890.2018.1474002
5) Shapiro NI, Filbin MR, Hou PC, et al. Diagnostic Accuracy of a Bacterial and Viral Biomarker Point-of-Care Test in the Outpatient Setting. JAMA Netw Open. Oct 3 2022;5(10):e2234588. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.34588
