Navigation path

United Kingdom
Home pagearrow menu item level 1
About usarrow menu item level 1
Press Roomarrow menu item level 1
What's coming up from the EC
Front page news
The Press Team
UK Press releases
Commission press releases
EU in the Media
Euromyths
Factsheets
Letters to the Editor
Commissioners Cornerarrow menu item level 1
Informationarrow menu item level 1
How to work with the EUarrow menu item level 1
Forthcoming Eventsarrow menu item level 1
12 Star Galleryarrow menu item level 1
eu calender
What's in it for me?
Europe in the UK
President José Manuel Barroso
Catherine Ashton
vice president reding
facebook
twitter
Eu tube
Manchester Uni leads EU research to help burn victims
E-mail this pageE-mail this pagePrintPrint

Published on 12-08-10

The University of Manchester has led a team of European researchers in the development of an innovative diagnostic system which in just a few minutes pinpoints the type of bacterial infections in critically ill patients suffering from burns, chronic skin ulcers or serious wounds.  And the quicker infections can be diagnosed, the faster patients' wounds can be treated, which in turn will lower the cost of lengthy hospital stays. Until now, doctors have had to rely on microbiological tests that took several days to identify which bacteria were causing the infection.

Commission Vice-President for the Digital Agenda Neelie Kroes said: "Every summer we see images of people with terrible injuries caused in the home or by forest fires. Thanks to EU funding, the technology developed by WOUNDMONITOR will speed up diagnosis time and help doctors to prescribe the appropriate treatment much faster."
    Manchester Uni leads EU research to help burn victims

    The three year project involving research teams from Germany, Italy and Lithuania, was coordinated by the University of Manchester's School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science.  The department of Burns and Plastic Surgery at South Manchester University Hospitals Trust also participated in the 2.2 million project, which received 1.67 million euro in EU funding from the Sixth Framework Programme for research.

    More than 4,000 people die in the EU each year because of accidents caused by fire and many thousands more are hospitalised to receive treatment for burns. Most of the burns accidents occur at home or at work and are more predominant among vulnerable groups like the elderly or young children. Early diagnosis and treatment of infection in burn patients is critical. However, despite advances in modern medicine, it can take up to three days for microbiological tests to identify the bacteria present in the wound. Only after this identification can doctors select the appropriate treatment.

    For more information

     

    More front page news

    Last update: 31/10/2010  |Top