A Sunnyvale company has developed a new test that can determine in just one hour if a patient has the superbug known as MRSA.
The traditional tests often took days before results were available.
Cepheid's test looks at the DNA of the infecting organism and can even detect the strain of methicillin resistant
staphylococcus aureas. The quick diagnosis means patients can get the correct type of anitbiotic for their condition because its
possible they may have a less severe staph infection. Cepheid CEO John Bishop says the test may also be used on patients before
surgery to determine if they have MRSA, which may put them at higher risk of developing an infection during their procedure.
