IIT Guwahati develops new cost-effective device that can fast detect urinary tract infection

A research team from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati, has successfully developed a fast and cost-effective 3D printed device to detect specific bacteria that cause urinary tract infection (UTI).

The research team led by Dr Partho Sarathi Gooh Pattader, an associate professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Guwahati, created this device that can accurately detect specific bacteria causing UTI. 

Explaining the mechanism, Pattader said that the equipment can detect the type of bacteria within a few minutes of conducting the test.We have used gold nanoparticles with specifically engineered aptamers. An aptamer is like a 3D puzzle piece that fits only on the surface of a particular bacteria. The gold nanoparticles thus get agglomerated on the surface of the target bacteria giving out a unique signature that can be detected by a UV- Visible Spectrophotometer," Pattader told WION.

Not only that, the test is also gaining popularity because of its affordable nature and cost efficiency. The average manufacturing cost of a UTI analyser is Rs 75,000 ( $910 approx.),while testing a sample costs around Rs 800 rupees ($10 approx.).

However, the estimated cost of manufacturing the device is Rs 608 ($7 approx.) and sample testing will cost Rs 8 only, Pattader added. 

When asked about the force motivating them to conduct such research, Pattader told WION that since UTI is very common nowadays, they wanted to develop a frugal device that can detect the actual cause of UTI, which is largely affecting the women in rural areas.

UTI, though a common disease, is not inevitable. Pattader said that the prevention of UTI lies in maintaining proper hygiene and drinking plenty of water. If one has already encountered UTI, tests should be conducted to detect it as early as possible. 

Prominently, UTI is caused due to various bacteria: 80 per cent of cases of UTI is due to E. Coli bacteria, while about 17 per cent is due to K. Pneumoniae, 30 per cent is due to S. Aureus, and about 2 per cent is due to E. Faecalis bacteria. 

"In our study, we have shown how to detect K. Pneumoniae and as the method is generic, we have also demonstrated it for S. Aureus. Thus this prototype device with little modification can be used for other bacteria detection as well. And this device can not only detect but also quantify the concentration of the bacteria," Pattader said.