This project aims to develop a point-of-care test for neonatal sepsis in a simple lateral flow test format.

It will provide frontline healthcare workers with the ability to provide initial diagnosis and timely, effective treatment for millions of newborns in resource-constrained settings.

It should also improve management of sepsis in adults and in the developed world.

What is neonatal sepsis?

Neonatal sepsis specifically refers to the presence in a newborn baby of a bacterial blood stream infection (BSI) (such as meningitis, pneumonia, pyelonephritis, or gastroenteritis) in the setting of fever.

Neonatal sepsis continues to be a common and significant health care burden, especially in very-low-birth-weight infants. In neonates, sepsis is difficult to diagnose clinically and often they may be relatively asymptomatic.