The disposable chip that will allow GPs to write the perfect prescription
by Robin McKie from on (#39NFR)
A new method of distinguishing viral from bacterial infections will help control the misuse of antibiotics
You have a rasping cough. Your speech is reduced to a whisper and your throat is raw and aching. You cannot sleep. So you tell your sad story to your doctor, who faces a simple issue: do you have a viral infection, or is a bacterium responsible for your illness?
It sounds a trivial issue. In fact, the problem goes beyond your immediate health and has implications for the general wellbeing of society. If your doctor makes a misdiagnosis and - thinking your condition is caused by a bacterium - prescribes a course of antibiotics, the decision could have harmful side-effects.
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