Breath-Based Sampling System Diagnoses Lower Respiratory Tract Infection

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 26 Sep 2024

Image: BreathBiomics is a novel mechanism to capture biomolecules in human breath (Photo courtesy of ZeteoTech)

Lower Respiratory Tract Infections (LRTIs) are the leading cause of death from infectious diseases. Current diagnostic methods rely heavily on clinical symptoms but often lack specificity, particularly given the prevalence of bacterial colonization without active infection. The use of human breath for noninvasive disease detection has long been recognized as a promising diagnostic tool, but the absence of effective biomolecular sampling technologies has limited progress. To overcome this challenge, a new sampling system has been developed to efficiently capture biomolecules from human breath. This system targets protease dysregulation, a known indicator of bacterial infections, by capturing proteases and enabling their activity-based detection, thus aiding in the diagnosis of LRTIs.

ZeteoTech’s (Sykesville, MD, USA) BreathBiomics sampling system introduces an innovative capture mechanism that utilizes advanced surface chemistry to collect non-volatile organic compounds from exhaled breath. The system features chemically modified functional groups designed to have a high affinity for a broad spectrum of biomolecules, including lipids, metabolites, and proteins, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of respiratory health. By leveraging molecular interactions, the system effectively captures biomolecules contained in submicron particles, addressing a significant limitation of existing collection technologies. Additionally, the functional groups can be customized to target specific biomarkers, such as those associated with SARS-CoV-2, offering enhanced flexibility for biomarker detection and diagnosis.

The BreathBiomics sampling system is highly adaptable, integrating seamlessly into various respiratory devices such as facial masks, mouthpieces, mechanical ventilators, oxygen masks, incubators, and tracheostomy tubes. Its quiet operation, generating noise levels below 45 dB (similar to a home refrigerator), makes it ideal for use in clinical environments, including primary care settings, emergency rooms, operating rooms, and intensive care units. Whether used for clinical research or routine care, BreathBiomics has the potential to revolutionize the way clinicians detect and manage respiratory diseases.

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