Testing benefits of conjunctivitis test

Sarasota, FL-Researchers hope that a clinical trial of a rapid, point-of-care test (RPS Adeno Detector Plus, Rapid Pathogen Screening Inc.), cleared by the FDA earlier this year for the diagnosis of adenoviral conjunctivitis, will help determine whether the test can help cut health care costs and reduce the number of incorrect diagnoses.

The 6-month trial, set to begin in the fall in the Chicago area, will seek to enroll 500 patients with symptoms of conjunctivitis. It will be administered in an office of the Visiting Nurses Association, and the test’s manufacturer will be involved.

The test can detect all known serotypes of adenoviral conjunctivitis in 10 minutes using a small sample of human tears, according to the company. Proponents maintain that quickly knowing whether a case of conjunctivitis is a viral or bacterial infection could save health costs and reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics because viral infections do not require antibiotic treatment for resolution. Additionally, they say, early treatment of a bacterial infection could reduce the spread of such disease.