Combining the sciences to tackle health challenges
Hellen Onyango is a medical laboratory scientist at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in Kenya, specializing in medical microbiology. She is pursuing a PhD in the School of Medicine, supervised by Dr Robert Hammond, Dr Derek Sloan (School of Medicine), Dr Katherine Keenan, and Dr Mike Kesby (School of Sustainable Development and Geography).
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infections, affecting over 404.6 million people globally in 2019. While antibiotics are typically used to treat these bacterial infections, the rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has made UTI diagnosis and treatment more complex. Accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure the prescribed antibiotics target the right bacteria.
The gold standard for diagnosing UTIs is the culture method, which identifies the bacteria and helps determine the appropriate antibiotic. However, this method is time-consuming and expensive, making it difficult for patients in remote or low-income areas to access. As a result, hospitals in such settings rely on rapid diagnostic methods that are often less accurate, leading to misdiagnoses and inappropriate treatments.
Hellen’s Global Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) project, funded by the Scottish Funding Council aims to address this issue by using the scattered light integrating collector (SLIC), a light-scattering device developed by Dr Robert Hammond.
SLIC offers a faster and cheaper way to detect bacterial infections and assess antibiotic resistance in just minutes to hours. Hellen’s research, which involves analysing urine samples and working with clinicians and lab technologists in Kenya, is the first to introduce this technology to Sub-Saharan Africa, offering significant potential to improve healthcare in the region.
SLIC works by shining a laser on a urine sample. The scattered light indicates the presence of bacteria, and the growth patterns help determine if the bacteria are resistant to antibiotics. This technology can produce results with 95% accuracy, comparable to the gold standard culture method.
While SLIC is still a research tool, its accuracy and ease of use have been well received. However, implementing it widely requires behavioural changes from healthcare workers. To understand how to best integrate SLIC into clinical settings, Hellen conducted a feasibility study, engaging clinicians and lab technologists to assess their needs and perspectives. This approach fosters collaboration and communication among healthcare workers, improving diagnosis and treatment processes.
Hellen’s work also supports the validation of SLIC as a medical diagnostic tool. The data generated will contribute to the SLIC database, helping to validate it for clinical use. If successful, SLIC could play a crucial role in the WHO’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme, promoting responsible antibiotic use to combat AMR.
Hellen’s research has the potential to transform healthcare practices by combining technology, science, and collaboration, benefiting both local and global healthcare systems.
