MicrobeSpotter speeds up diagnosis and cuts antibiotic use.

MicrobeSpotter revolutionizes UTI treatment with faster diagnosis and reduced antibiotic use

UTIs are one of the most common infections, yet diagnosis often takes days. In Belgium alone, 3 to 5% of women suffer from a UTI each year, amounting to 340,000 to 570,000 cases annually—that’s almost one woman per minute. Beyond being uncomfortable, UTIs can be extremely painful, especially if incorrectly treated. Due to slow and costly lab analyses, doctors often prescribe antibiotics preventively, even before knowing which bacteria are responsible.

Prof. Dr. Jan Verbakel, general practitioner and researcher at KU Leuven, emphasizes the need for faster diagnostics:
"Doctors are often forced to prescribe antibiotics without knowing which bacteria are causing the infection or whether the prescribed medication will be effective. This contributes to antibiotic resistance, one of the greatest public health threats. With innovative point-of-care tests like MicrobeSpotter, we can change this: treat faster and more precisely, and drastically reduce unnecessary antibiotic use."

97% faster analysis thanks to AI

MicrobeSpotter is the result of a collaboration between Comate, KU Leuven, VIB, and imec. The partners combined their expertise in product development, microbiology, UTIs, and innovative microscopy to create this test. With €150,000 support from the province of Vlaams-Brabant, the technology can be further developed.

Sander Van den Dries, CEO of Comate:
"The current approach to UTIs is inefficient and costs society billions of euros due to slow lab analyses and excessive antibiotic use. Right now, it takes an average of 48 hours to determine the nature of an infection via a lab. The goal of MicrobeSpotter is to reduce analysis time to just two hours, using direct bacterial detection at the cellular level—a 97% time reduction."

A breakthrough in diagnostics. "By combining advanced microscopy with AI, we obtain fast and detailed insights into the infection. With a compact, chip-based microscope and user-friendly cartridges, we can analyze a small urine sample and quickly determine which antibiotic is needed," Van den Dries explains.

Broader applications in the future

MicrobeSpotter has the potential to diagnose more than just UTIs. In the future, this technology could be used for detecting other infections in humans, animals, and even in agriculture and the food sector.

Additionally, the test represents a sustainable alternative to traditional laboratory diagnostics, as less material is required. With the rise of point-of-care testing, more laboratory tests can now be performed by doctors and nurses without the need for an external clinical lab.

The province of Vlaams-Brabant is investing in this project because it reinforces the region’s position as a leader in innovative and rapid diagnostics.

"The province believes in this project and is supporting MicrobeSpotter with an innovation grant. We were convinced by its groundbreaking technological innovation that will improve the well-being of people in Vlaams-Brabant. Our region is strong in medical technology, and with our support, we aim to contribute to better and faster diagnostics. We see a promising future for this project. In the long run, this technology could be applied to other areas of the healthcare sector," says Gunther Coppens, Provincial Deputy for Economy.