HU-MEN (High frequency Ultrasound-based MENingitis screening)
Non-invasive ultrasound-based screening for meningitis: Proof-of concept in infants

- Duración
- 01/01/2017-31/12/2019
- Coordinador
- Quique Bassat
- Financiadores
- ISCIII (FIS programme)
165 newborns die every day of Bacterial Meningitis (BM), an aggressive infection that leaves severe sequelae among 30% of survivors. Rapid detection, particularly in this age group, is difficult due to the little specificity and overlap of its symptoms with those of more common and less severe diseases.
Our objective is to continue with the development and validation of a prototype to non-invasive screening for meningitis. Early diagnosis by means of a lumbar puncture (LP), invasive and potentially harmful procedure, and prompt antibiotic treatment is the current strategy to improve prognosis of this devastating infection. A sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is drawn by means of a LP to obtain a white blood cell (leucocytes) count, that, if elevated, confirms the need for immediate treatment while waiting for bacteriologic results available after 24-48h. However, about 95% of the 8.000 LPs performed in young infants with fever of unknown source and suspected for BM result negative, raising Spanish hospital costs in 25M€. In resource-constrained countries lacking laboratory facilities to analyse the sample, LPs are under-performed in spite of the high incidence of the infection in this context, raising neonatal mortality up to 50%.
We propose to use high-frequency ultrasounds to non-invasively count CSF cell concentration through the fontanel, the area of the infant head where the bones are not yet fused. A portable and easy-to-use device could reduce the number of unnecessary LPs, associated costs, and help save lives in under-resourced countries.
Total funding
85,000 €
Nuestro equipo
Principal Investigator (PI)
- Enrique Bassat Orellana
ISGlobal Team
- Elisa Blanca López Medical Research Fellow
Otros proyectos
Ver proyectos pasadosCOMBACTE
Combatiendo la Resistencia Bacteriana en Europa
Evaluación de estrategias para la erradicación de la enfermedad del Pian
Erradicación del Pian
Novel Marine Biomolecules against Biofilm (NoMorFilm)
Application to medical devices
COMBACTE-CARE
Combatting Bacterial Resistance in Europe - Carbapenem Resistance
Prioritising Antimicrobial Resistance: establishing an interdisciplinary International Research Partnership to tackle an evolving global health threat
An interdisciplinary International Research Partnership to tackle an evolving global health threat
Development of new metal-antibiotics against pathogens causing chronic infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.
New metal-antibiotics for patients with cystic fibrosis
Xpatial-TB
Improved case detection through TB contact risk stratification by Xpert results and spatial parameters in Mozambique
WHIP3TB
Evaluation of the effect of weekly high dose rifapentine and isoniazid (3HP) vs periodic 3HP vs 6H for preventing TB among HIV-positive individuals
New antibacterial agents against 'Acinetobacter baumannii'
Search for new target proteins and use of antibacterial or inhibitory peptides against resistance mechanisms in 'Acinetobacter baumannii'
Desarrollo de nuevos metaloantibióticos frente a patógenos causantes de infecciones crónicas en pacientes con fibrosis quística
VINCI
Optimizing provider-initiated HIV testing, linkage, and retention in care in the district of Manhiça, Mozambique
INTE-AFRICA
Integrating and decentralizing diabetes and hypertension services in Africa
AVATAR
Searching the hidden: evaluating dengue, chikungunya and Zika autochthonous transmission in the city of Barcelona.
SAFE - Superbug Awareness For Education
COVID-PREG
Eficacia de hidroxicloroquina en la prevención de la infección por SARS-CoV-2 y de la gravedad de la enfermedad de COVID-19 durante el embarazo
SARS-CoV-2 Ivermectin Navarra-ISGlobal Trial (SAINT)
Estudio piloto para evaluar el potencial de la ivermectina para reducir la transmisión de COVID-19
Encuesta serológica Cendea de Cizur
Cendea de Cizur
CoViproteHCt
Projecte de Recerca en Resposta Immunitària i Epidemiologia de Malalties Infeccioses
Conèixer la propagació. Entendre la protecció
AMR DetecTool
A breakthrough device for the rapid detection of antimicrobial resistance
ANTICOV
Large Clinical Trial in Africa on the Treatment of Mild Cases of COVID-19
HBV-COMSAVA
Hepatitis B Virus COMmunity Screening and Vaccination in Africans
Stool4TB
Evaluating a new stool based qPCR for diagnosis of tuberculosis in children and people living with HIV
Hep C Free Baleares
Eliminating hepatitis C on the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza): a study in governmental and non-governmental addiction service centres, a mobile methadone unit and a prison to test and link people who use drugs to HCV care.