Promising technology may someday allow doctors to discover the cause of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in 45 minutes, compared to two days using conventional tests. The new diagnostic tool will allow physicians to prescribe targeted treatment without delay.

In a recent clinical trial conducted at UCLA's school of medicine and the Veterans Affairs Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, researchers using GeneFluidics' biosensor chips were able to correctly identify the species of infection-causing bacteria in 98 percent of the study samples.

Data were reported in the Feb. 2006 issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology. The research team anticipates the rapid test could become available in the next two to three years.