Pioneering diagnostics

Healthcare-associated infections

bioMérieux is very active in the fight against healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). We offer a comprehensive product range for healthcare professionals covering prevention, surveillance and diagnosis.
 

bioMérieux is a key player in the fight against healthcare-associated infections. We work closely with healthcare professionals in the three areas of healthcare-associated infection control:

  • Prevention: screening of patients at risk of healthcare-associated infections and environmental monitoring;
  • Surveillance: management of information (alerts, epidemiology studies, etc.);
  • Intervention: diagnosis of healthcare-associated infections and management of outbreaks.

Diagnostic tests are paramount in successfully fighting HAIs. They contribute to:

  • Decreasing or stabilizing the number of healthcare-associated infections;
  • Appropriate patient management and treatment;
  • Implementing preventive measures;
  • Improving healthcare quality and patient safety in the long term;
  • Shorter hospital stays resulting in reduced hospital costs.

 Focus on Clostridium difficile

With its VIDAS® tests (VIDAS® CD A&B and VIDAS® GDH), CHROMID®, the BIOFIRE® FILMARRAY® Gastrointestinal Panel and the  BIOMÉRIEUX EPISEQ® software suite, bioMérieux provides a comprehensive product offering for the diagnosis of Clostridium difficile from culture to identification and epidemiological monitoring, and including direct detection of the toxin.

This bacteria is:

  • The chief infectious cause of healthcare associated diarrhea among adults, in particular elderly patients;
  • Highly contagious;
  • Difficult to diagnose;
  • Potentially fatal, with a high mortality rate, often above 15%.*

It is considered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as an “urgent public health threat.”

The diagnosis of C. difficile infections is a key step to improve patient outcomes.  In addition, an accurate and rapid diagnosis makes it possible to stop contamination and epidemics within hospitals and reduce the high costs associated with such infections.

* Mitchell et al, 2012.