Rapid Tests to Diagnose Serious Infections in Children

General practitioners can now detect serious infections in children by just using a simple decision rule and a finger prick, suggests a recent study conducted at the University of Leuven, Belgium. The procedure also prevents unnecessary hospitalreferrals for less serious cases. Researcher Jan Verbakel said, "Conventional testing is often complex, expensive and most of all time-consuming. But recently, various so-called point-of-care tests have become available. These simple diagnostic tests can be performed in the general practitioner's office and provide results within minutes."

For the detection of serious infections, point-of-care CRP testing by means of a finger prick holds potential. The test measures the level of the C-reactive protein (CRP) in a drop of blood. The concentration of this protein increases in response to a pathogen. Serious infections such as meningitis, pneumonia, kidney or bone infections or dangerous inflammations of the skin have symptoms that resemble those of more common viral infections.

"As a result, serious infections tend to stay off the general practitioner's radar for too long. We asked ourselves how rapid diagnostic tests might help solve this problem," he said. A one-year study involving over 3,100 ill children showed that 5 mg of CRP per litre of blood is a good threshold value to rule out serious infections but only after the practitioner has performed a clinical evaluation of the patient's symptoms and vital functions.

"Point-of-care CRP testing cannot replace a general practitioner. Does the GP sense that something is off? Is the child short of breath, or running a fever of more than 40°C? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, it's useful to perform a point-of-care CRP test," said Verbakel.

Adding, "Our study showed that with this procedure, all serious infections were detected during the first visit to the general practitioner. But there's no need to test all ill children. Thanks to the combination of a clinical examination of the patient, possibly followed by a point-of-care CRP test, general practitioners can detect serious infections more quickly and more objectively. And for children who are less seriously ill, the procedure prevents unnecessary hospital referrals and anxiety. The point-of-care CRP test is a valuable tool for general practitioners, but it has to be used responsibly," he concludes.

Source-ANI