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MEDICAL
 European, Indian researchers set sights on quick strep test
Streptococcal infections are triggered by group A streptococcus, a bacterium
that causes health problems. While most people are familiar with strep throat, infections
do vary. The outcome of a primary streptococcal infection depends on the strain of bacteria
involved and how susceptible the patient is to it. European and Indian scientists are cooperating
in an EU-funded project to develop a test that will allow a quick diagnosis of streptococcal
strains with a potential to cause serious disease. The ASSIST project, with €1.5 million from
the EU's research programme, is being coordinated by the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
in Braunschweig, Germany.
 | A microscopic look on streptococcus pneumoniae
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Based on expert estimates, around 600 million people fight streptococcal infections each year,
the majority of which are mild. But some 2 million sufferers face potentially harmful complications,
such as rheumatic fever, which often leads to cardiac damage.
"Rheumatic heart disease, as a secondary effect of streptococcal infections, progresses very dramatically,"
said Professor Singh Chhatwal, Coordinator of ASSIST and Departmental Director at the Helmholtz Centre.
"It occurs primarily in children and frequently only a cardiovalvular transplant can save the child."
On a global scale, 15 million children suffer from rheumatic heart disease. Of this total, 6 million live
in India. The Indian-born Prof Chhatwal stated that a major problem is the fact that proper diagnostic
methods are often lacking, which results "inadequate treatment by antibiotics."
But there is a positive side to this, as less than a tenth of the streptococcal strains are able to generate
serious complications. There are fewer of these cases compared to the overall number of infected cases, and
the researchers believe it would be easier to introduce proper antibiotic treatments in developing countries.
"If we had an effective test to quickly diagnose whether a patient is infected with a dangerous strain, then
we could concentrate on these cases," Prof Chhatwal said.
The ASSIST team will focus on assessing the congenital dispositions of people that make them more susceptible
to dangerous pathogens, as well as collecting information about the streptococcal strains commonly found in India.
Once the information is gathered and assessed, the researchers will work on getting the quick test off the ground.
The team is currently evaluating a process to identify specific surface molecules or genes that appear only in
dangerous strains. Besides the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, project partners include Sweden's Karolinska
Institut Stockholm, the UK's University of St Andrews and three Indian participants: Postgraduate Institute of Medical
Education in Chandigarh, the Christian Medical College in Vellore and the All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.
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More information:
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research
All Indian Institute of Medical Sciences
EU and India united in science
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