Innovative new test will help prevent babies in Wigan going deaf

Using a simple cheek swab, the test can identify in 26 minutes whether a critically ill baby admitted to intensive care has a gene change that could result in permanent hearing loss if they are treated with Gentamicin.

The rapid point of care test was developed by researchers from Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) working with Manchester company genedrive plc.

It was first piloted at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Manchester and Liverpool Women’s Hospital in 2021, before being extended to North Manchester General Hospital and Wythenshawe Hospital last month.

There are now plans for it to be rolled out further, including to the hospitals run by Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, later this year.

This follows the conditional recommendation of the test by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) earlier this year.

It is estimated that approximately 1,700 babies a year will be tested at MFT, which has so far prevented the hearing loss of six babies in Greater Manchester.

And that number is set to increase as the test is used in more hospitals around Greater Manchester.

Dr Ajit Mahaveer, consultant neonatologist at Saint Mary’s Hospital, said: “Since its introduction at Saint Mary’s Hospital in October last year, over 600 babies have been tested. Three babies tested positive for the gene change that would cause them to go deaf if given Gentamicin and were successfully given an alternative antibiotic within the NICE-recommended ‘golden hour’.”

While antibiotic Gentamicin is used to safely treat approximately 100,000 babies a year, one in 500 tots carry a gene change that can lead to permanent hearing loss when given the drug.

The rollout of the test at MFT and across Greater Manchester has been made possible with funding from Health Innovation Manchester and its Academic Health Science Centre Women and Children Domain.

The programme will collect data for the NICE evidence generation plan, which supports the long-term recommendation of the test across England.