CD64/CD169 Ratio Achieves 100% Sensitivity for Bacterial Infection in 60 Febrile Neonates via Flow Cytometry
A small proof-of-concept study demonstrates that the CD64/CD169 ratio measured by flow cytometry separates bacterial from viral infections in febrile neonates with high accuracy. Larger prospective validation and point-of-care translation are now required before any change in emergency department practice.
The ongoing DISCERN multicenter trial aims to enroll 300-500 infants to test generalizability. Parallel development of a point-of-care platform is required because flow cytometry remains restricted to specialized labs. If validated, this biomarker could reduce antibiotic exposure and hospital days while preserving detection of life-threatening bacterial disease within the critical first hours of presentation.
VITALIS: The DISCERN study will report sensitivity above 95% for bacterial infection in at least 400 infants by end of 2027.
Sources (2)
- [1]Primary Source(https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-blood-newborns-fever-bacterial-viral.html)
- [2]Supporting Source(https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2791234)