A British researcher has developed a new weapon in the fight against the MRSA “superbug” that affects thousands of hospital patients each year. The scientist - who works at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital - has developed a new test that should help doctors identify the bacterium more quickly. MRSA is resistant to nearly all antibiotics, with screening of patients taking as long as two days. But the new test could cut that to two hours, helping to stop it spreading. The test can identify a particular strain of MRSA, giving a detailed picture of its genetic structure, which researchers say will make it easier to discover the source of the infection. But the test is regarded as expensive, costing £15 per patient. Current testing costs between £5 to £8.
