Living diagnostics

When faced with a potentially contagious respiratory disease, the history and physical examination are obviously the first steps in evaluating the situation. However, laboratory testing remains essential to detect and identify the pathogens responsible for the infection, and thus confirm the risk of spreading to other horses. In such urgent situations, the key question is: are all tests really equivalent ?

Escherichia coli (known as E. coli) are typically harmless bacteria that naturally occur in the intestines of humans and animals. Some strains of E. coli, however, can be incredibly harmful. One such strain is Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), which if ingested can create dangerous toxins that can lead to serious infections.

Patient associations across the globe are actively engaged in promoting this critical message to both healthcare professionals and the broader public. We met with Dr Rafael Moraes from ILAS, Melissa Mead from The UK Sepsis Trust and Thomas Heymann from Sepsis Alliance to learn more about their actions.

Could 2025 be the year that endotoxin testing finally catches up with the 21st century? Unlike other areas of Pharmaceutical Quality Control where innovations such as data analytics and automation have driven extensive modernization, endotoxin testing has remained resolutely stuck in the past. This vital Quality Control procedure has until recently relied on outdated testing practices that require the blood of horseshoe crabs. Significantly, new authoritative standards have recently recognized alternative testing methods that can deliver the same important validation, without relying on animal-derived products. What are these new standards and what could their integration mean for the future of endotoxin testing?