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St Mary鈥檚 Hospital,听part of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust,听is one of three hospitals involved听in an NHS trial to find out if听an innovative 15-minute blood test听can听diagnose听children with potentially life-threatening听infections.

The听trial,听which runs until March 2026 and is听funded by听NHS England,听is听testing听children听arriving in听emergency departments听at听Alder Hey Children鈥檚 Hospital in Liverpool, St Mary鈥檚 Hospital in London and Great North Children鈥檚 Hospital in Newcastle.听

The hi-tech blood test shows whether an infection is viral or bacterial quicker than traditional tests, so serious diseases like sepsis or meningitis can be picked up sooner.

If the trial听is听successful,听it could make a vital difference to the care children听receive.

Accurate,听fast听tests mean quicker decisions听and treatment

Every year, but especially in winter, many children develop a fever, when the body鈥檚 temperature is higher than 38掳C. Most children with a fever have an illness that doesn鈥檛 need testing or antibiotic treatment. But in some rare cases, children will have a serious infection that needs testing and treatment in a hospital.听

Currently, clinicians must rely on their clinical judgement to know which child is at risk of a serious infection. The current lab tests we have are not always good enough and can take a few hours to give a result. While they wait for results, doctors may diagnose children with a minor illness or prescribe antibiotics or another treatment as a precaution until a full diagnosis can be made.听

A new test could make a real difference. In just 15 minutes, the new blood test will provide clinicians with the information they need to diagnose individuals quickly. Patients can then be treated faster and only receive antibiotics if it鈥檚 confirmed they are required.

The trial will听tell us听whether rapid tests like this can help doctors and nurses make faster decisions.

BRC Infection and AMR Theme supported researcher Dr Ruud Nijman, paediatric consultant at St Mary鈥檚 Hospital and honorary clinical senior lecturer at Imperial College London,听said:听鈥淲e already know听from听previous听studies that听this test听should be听accurate听in children with听fever听and听it听is already being used in the US听and Europe听in both children and adults.听But we听don鈥檛听know听the听impact听the test听will听have in our emergency departments and how doctors will be using the test.听

鈥淭his trial will now tell us whether the test has a role in the NHS and if clinicians will use it to help make faster, more accurate decisions so children receive the right treatment faster. If successful, this test has the potential to completely change the way we treat infections and help us diagnose with more certainty, stopping illnesses from escalating to something more serious.听

Making a difference for local children

Dr Nijman continued: 鈥淢any children receive听antibiotics听unnecessarily, and fever in children is such听a common problem听for which many caregivers go to the emergency department. This test could significantly听reduce听unnecessary听antibiotic听prescribing as well as improve our ability to pick up a serious infection early.

鈥淲e take part in research to tackle common and everyday conditions that will make a real difference to the local community we serve, benefiting children in North West London and beyond. This trial means they can play a crucial part in research that will reveal why, how and if this technology will help our patients. It may reduce the need for unnecessary antibiotics, helping us tackle the very real problem of antimicrobial resistance.