Urinary tract infections – modern microbiological methods for rapid diagnosis
Medical Review (Med. pregled), 2025, 61(1), 16-25.
M. Rupcheva1,2,3, M. Petrov1,2
1 Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology “Prof. Dr Elisey Yanev”, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Plovdiv
2 Research Institute, Medical University of Plovdiv
3 University Hospital Sv. Georgi, Plovdiv
Abstract. Timely and accurately identifying and determining the antimicrobial susceptibility of uropathogens is essential for treating urinary tract infections. Routine urine culturing with antimicrobial susceptibility testing takes 2-3 days. The general use of empiric antibiotics has contributed to the rise of multidrug-resistant organisms, re ducing treatment options and increasing costs. In addition to improved antimicrobial drug management and the development of new antimicrobial agents, new diagnostic methods are needed for timely microbiological diagnosis. Compared to classical culture methods of diagnosis in patients with urinary tract infections, PCR-based testing has the advantage of simultaneous detection of fungi and bacteria from urine samples. The real-time PCR method is accurate, sensitive and can provide results faster than traditional culture methods. On the other hand, as an alternative for faster identification, the method based on the principle of mass spectrometry contributes to the speed and accuracy of identification of pathogens from primary cultures. The successful development and implementation of these technologies have the potential to usher in an era of precision medicine to improve patient care and public health.
Key words: real-Time multiplex PCR, MALDI-TOF MS, HB&L Uroquattro, urinary tract infections, antimicrobial susceptibility testing
Address for correspondence: Milena Rupcheva, MD, e-mail: m.rupcheva@gmail.com