New PCR rapid test from Bosch for detection of sexually transmitted pathogens

Bosch Healthcare Solutions has received CE-label for the new Vivalytic MG, MH, UP/UU, developed in partnership with BioGX, a US-based global molecular diagnostics company. The test is now available as part of the Vivalytic analyser test portfolio and can thus be used directly at the point of care. This real-time PCR rapid test can detect four pathogens of sexually transmitted infections (STIs): Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Ureaplasma parvum (UP), and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU). After taking the sample and starting the analysis, a positive result is available in as little as an hour, making the test particularly suitable for use in direct patient care at doctors’ offices and clinics. Here, it can enable STI differential diagnosis directly at the point of sampling without delays due to transportation or logistics. For example, the test can detect in case of infectious urethritis (non-gonorrheal urethritis, NGU)¹, if one of the four pathogens is responsible for the infection. However, rapid diagnosis also helps to counteract the further spread of STI pathogens. The Vivalytic MG, MH, UP/UU test saves a lot of time compared to diagnostics by cultivation of the pathogenic germs. In the case of MH, UP, and UU, cultivation can take one to three days, and up to six months for MG².

More than 30 different pathogens can cause STIs. The WHO estimates that one million people worldwide become infected with sexually transmitted pathogens every day³. Even though in most cases infections are asymptomatic, if not detected they can lead to serious health problems and also to impaired sexual health. The four pathogenic germs that the new test detects also belong to the set of human STI pathogens, even though the two ureaplasmas in particular can often occur as commensals⁴.

The advantages of PCR rapid tests carried out using the Bosch Vivalytic analyser are not only faster test results, but also ease of use: Once the sample has been taken using a swab, it is placed in the test cartridge. The cartridge, which contains all the reagents required for the respective test, is then inserted into the Vivalytic analyser for automated evaluation. Operation is simple and medical staff can learn how to use it in no time. The length of time needed for the respective analysis depends on the complexity of the test. In addition to the new MG, MH, UP/UU, the Vivalytic product portfolio includes tests for viral respiratory infections (VRI), tests for SARS-CoV-2 – which can also be carried out as a pooling variant and as a lollipop test – as well as a multiplex test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

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1) G. Bonkat et al., EAU guidelines on urological infections; European Association of Urology 2020

2) CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Guidelines 2021, Publication: Workowski et al., Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021 Jul 23;70(4):1-187

3) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis), at: 15.03.2022

4) Waites et al., J Mol Diagn. 2012 Sep;14(5):437-50

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Der Einsatz des Vivalytic Analysers in der Villa Rosenstein

Bosch Healthcare Solutions GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH. The subsidiary was established in 2015 with the aim of developing products and services that improve people’s health and quality of life. About 120 associates (state 2019) are currently employed at the company’s headquarters in Waiblingen, Germany. The subsidiary’s solutions draw on the Bosch Group’s core competencies: sensors to collect data, software to evaluate that data, and services based on this data analysis.

More information is available online at www.bosch-healthcare.com

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 402,600 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2021). The company generated sales of 78.7 billion euros in 2021. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0, and connected mobility. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to facilitate connected living with products and solutions that either contain artificial intelligence (AI) or have been developed or manufactured with its help. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. With its more than 400 locations worldwide, the Bosch Group has been carbon neutral since the first quarter of 2020. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At 128 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 76,100 associates in research and development, of which more than 38,000 are software engineers.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPress.