April 23, 2007 - Cepheid is FDA-cleared to market the Xpert MRSA test, which runs on the GeneXpert System, for the rapid detection of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Xpert MRSA results, delivered in a little over one hour, rapidly identify carriers of the potential pathogen and enable healthcare organizations to implement the proper infection control measures, leading to lower hospital acquired infection rates while improving patient care.
MRSA is a growing public health concern and is cited as the leading cause of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs). According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HAIs number over 2 million annually, and more than 100,000 hospital patients die each year as a result of contracting an infection while being treated for another condition.
Cepheid is currently engaged with a broad cross-section of healthcare organizations interested in initiating MRSA surveillance programs. These institutions are actively planning to initiate programs ranging from testing high-risk patients to testing all patient admissions.
MRSA is a bacterium that is resistant to antibiotics including methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin affecting those with weakened immune systems such as hospital patients and nursing home residents. When MRSA enters the body through the skin it can cause serious skin infections, and if it enters the bloodstream or lungs, it can cause critical blood infections, pneumonia and even death.