From days to hours: faster sepsis diagnosis for better patient care.

“With sepsis, every minute literally counts,” says Savelkoul. “Doctors often have to start treatment before it is clear whether an infection is present, or which bacteria is causing it. The sooner you know what is going on, the sooner you can provide targeted treatment.”

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition in which the body’s immune response to an infection becomes dysregulated, potentially leading to organ damage or failure. Although it is often referred to as ‘blood poisoning’, sepsis is the medical term. It can be caused by bacteria or viruses, but not every infection leads to sepsis — it is precisely the dysregulated immune response that makes the condition so dangerous. Typical signs include fever or hypothermia, a rapid heart rate and breathing, and confusion or drowsiness. If these symptoms occur, prompt medical attention is essential.

Worldwide, sepsis is associated with approximately one in five deaths. The impact is also significant in the Netherlands, particularly when diagnosis is delayed. In intensive care units, patients are therefore often given broad-spectrum antibiotics immediately, whilst awaiting laboratory results. This is precisely why rapid and reliable diagnostics are so important.

A new diagnostic method using PCR

At Maastricht University and Maastricht UMC+, Savelkoul focuses on the molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance, with a particular focus on sepsis. 

A key innovation is a broad multiplex PCR (polymerase chain reaction) that can, in principle, detect all types of bacteria in blood samples within a few hours, whereas traditional culture methods often take several days. PCR is a method that allows you to make many copies from a tiny amount of DNA from just one or a few bacteria, so that you can detect or analyse it. In simple terms: PCR is like a DNA enlarger. If there is even a minuscule amount of a virus, bacterium or other genetic material present, PCR can copy it so many times that it becomes measurable

“The big advantage is time,” says Savelkoul. “You don’t have to wait for something to grow in a culture flask; you look at the presence and relative quantity of bacterial DNA in the blood. This allows you to identify the issue sooner and therefore take targeted action earlier.”

Innovative diagnostics reduce waiting times

In many cases, this new testing method is not only faster but also at least as effective as the traditional approach. “With this method, we are aiming to reduce that time to a few hours. And it is precisely during that initial critical phase that this can make all the difference.” Even if the patient is already receiving antibiotics, which means the culture remains negative, the DNA can still be detected and a diagnosis made.

In addition, the method provides additional information about the amount of bacterial DNA in the blood, enabling doctors to better assess the severity of an infection. The technique therefore represents a fundamental acceleration of the diagnostic process. Furthermore, in approximately ninety per cent of cases, the method yielded more accurate diagnostic results than the current standard method.

This makes this development not only technologically interesting, but also clinically relevant. This innovation saves time for both patient and doctor. Faster diagnostics enable earlier intervention, with more targeted use of antibiotics and reduced reliance on broad-spectrum antibiotics. This is important both for the individual patient and in the fight against antibiotic resistance. The interest from hospitals and laboratories underlines the potential for widespread application

“Ultimately, it’s about doctors having the right information more quickly so they can treat patients better,” says Savelkoul. “If you can save time in cases of sepsis, you may also be able to save lives.”

Between innovation and certainty

The scientific findings are now attracting attention beyond Maastricht. Various European laboratories and Dutch hospitals have expressed an interest in implementing the method. “It is important to remain cautious,” says Savelkoul. “But we must also ask ourselves how much health benefit is being lost while faster diagnostics are not yet widely available.” The discussion therefore concerns not only additional evidence, but also the potential health benefits for the patient and the improvement in care that faster diagnostics can deliver for patients with suspected sepsis.

Innovation shouldn’t wait for guidelines to catch up

Paul Savelkoul argues that new diagnostic methods shouldn’t only be adopted after years of practical experience. “Particularly in the case of sepsis, where any delay can have serious consequences, the healthcare sector must dare to act more swiftly. If a method is demonstrably better, it should be deployed sooner, in a controlled and responsible manner. ”Traditional culture methods take days, delaying targeted treatment. In the meantime, doctors often start with broad-spectrum antibiotics — understandable, but not always optimal.

According to Savelkoul, the bottleneck lies not with the technology, but with implementation. Promising innovations remain stuck in the research phase for too long, whilst their practical application is unnecessarily delayed or fails to materialise. Guidelines are important, but must not unnecessarily slow down progress. He advocates a pioneering role for academic centres, where new techniques are tested in a controlled manner alongside standard care. This makes it clearer more quickly what actually adds value for patients.

Paul Savelkoul sees an important role for Maastricht. This is a global breakthrough that combines two patented technologies from the Dutch companies InBiome and Philips International with Maastricht’s research, and which has been tested in practice in Maastricht – a fine and successful example of public-private partnership that forms part of the basis for the success of this innovation.

In his view, MUMC+ can play a pioneering role by bringing innovation and clinical care closer together, right here. Collaboration between researchers, doctors and companies is crucial for this: not just to publish, but to actually translate innovations into patient care and put them into practice. His message is clear: if a method works better, the healthcare sector must dare to act. “We must dare to innovate before something is included in the guidelines — carefully and substantiated, but above all in good time.”

Paul Savelkoul is Professor of Medical Microbiology at NUTRIM and CAPHRI, both research institutes within the Faculty of Health, Medicine & Life Sciences, and Head of the Department of Medical Microbiology, Infectious Diseases & Infection Prevention. A molecular medical microbiologist with a strong reputation in the fields of infectious diseases, molecular diagnostics, typing and antibiotic resistance. He bridges the gap between science, patient care, education and public health. His work focuses on innovation in microbiological diagnostics, infection prevention and the societal impact of infectious diseases.

Savelkoul specialised in medical microbiology and infection prevention and gained recognition for his research into rapid molecular techniques for bacterial identification. His expertise encompasses molecular (sepsis) diagnostics, microbial detection techniques, characterisation of bacterial isolates and antibiotic resistance.

Within Maastricht UMC+, he was a leading figure during the COVID-19 pandemic, playing a prominent role in scaling up diagnostic capacity and public communication. Savelkoul is known as a bridge-builder between science and society, regularly contributing to the media and public discussions on infectious diseases. He mentored doctors, researchers and laboratory specialists, with a focus on scientific depth and practical applicability.

Paul Savelkoul will deliver his farewell lecture, entitled ‘Across Borders’, on 5 June 2026 at 4.00 pm. Minderbroedersberg 4-6, Maastricht. Or via livestream

Text: Danielle Vogt 

Photo: Johan Latupeirissa (MUMC)