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 bioMérieux
is a worldwide group specializing in the field of in vitro diagnostics
for medical and industrial applications. The group designs,
develops, manufactures and markets systems used in :
- Clinical Applications:
the diagnosis of infectious diseases, such as hepatitis, HIV,
tuberculosis or respiratory infections, as well as pathologies
such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer, based on the analysis
of biological samples (blood, saliva, urine, etc.)
- Industrial Applications:
the analysis of an industrial sample (food, pharmaceutical
and cosmetic products) or an environmental sample (water,
air, surface) to determine its microbiological quality.
bioMérieux’s diagnostic systems are comprised
of :
- Reagents required to conduct biological tests, such as
the identification of a type of bacteria or virus, or the
measurement of a specific hormone or marker;
- Instruments used for automated testing at variable throughputs
- Software used to process and interpret the results of biological
test
Clinical Diagnostics
Providing Essential Information for Medical Decisions
Clinical diagnostics provide an essential aid to the physician
for the diagnosis and monitoring of numerous pathologies and
infectious diseases.
A biological sample is taken from the patient, most often at
the request of a physician. It is then sent to a hospital-based
or private medical laboratory for analysis using reagents and
instruments developed by the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) industry.
A wide range of increasingly sophisticated diagnostic tests
exist and are used:
- for systematic screening of certain populations
- to establish or confirm a diagnosis for a person presenting
with clinical symptoms
- to determine appropriate treatment and monitor its efficacy
Below are examples of areas in which in vitro diagnostics can
be applied to the clinical sector:
- infectious diseases caused by an external microorganism
(bacterium, virus or parasite). The laboratory analyzes the
biological samples (urine, blood, sputum, pus, cerebrospinal
fluid, etc.) to detect either the microorganism directly or
a trace of its presence (immunological tests). The biology
laboratory therefore plays a major role in the diagnosis of
bacterial infections, such as urinary infections and septicemia,
the detection and monitoring of antibiotic resistance, the
monitoring of nosocomial (hospital-acquired) infections, etc.
Immunological tests and, more recently, molecular biology
techniques enable the diagnosis and monitoring of viral infections,
such as HIV, hepatitis, and certain infections affecting pregnant
women.
- cardiovascular pathologies are linked to the heart or blood
vessels. Among these cardiac pathologies, biological diagnostics
can be used to diagnose a myocardial infarction (heart attack)
through the detection of cardiac markers, which indicate the
destruction of myocardial cells. Venous thrombosis, a frequent
and potentially dangerous pathology, can lead to phlebitis
in the lower limbs and can be complicated by pulmonary embolism:
In this case, the biological diagnosis can provide essential
information by enabling the detection of substances release
by clot formation.
- cancers are caused by the uncontrolled multiplication of
abnormal cells. These cells bring abnormal antigens to their
surface or release abnormal substances into the bloodstream.
The detection and/or measurement of these antigens or substances
(known as tumor markers) is an important part of the diagnosis
and monitoring of a wide range of cancers.
Clinical diagnostics also can make a significant contribution
in many other medical fields (metabolic diseases, allergies,
hormone disorders, hematology, etc.).
Industrial Microbiological Control
Protecting Consumer Health
The food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries are required
to control the microbiological quality and composition of their
products. The industrial microbiology laboratory tests the sterility
of a product (absence of microorganisms) or the absence of pathogenic
bacteria (which cause infection) and ensures that commensal
bacteria (normally present in man and harmless in small quantities)
are only present in quantities under a certain limit. Industrial
microbiological controls are therefore performed throughout
the production chain from raw materials to finished products,
as well as in the manufacturing environment.
bioMérieux provides a broad range of solutions for the
food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries in the fields
of food safety, quality control, and traceability, as well as
sterility controls, water controls and environmental controls.
Below are two examples of industrial requirements for which
bioMérieux provides solutions :
Detection of Listeria
Listeria is a small pathogenic bacterium which can be
found in dairy products (milk, cheese, etc.). A person can
become infected by eating food contaminated with Listeria.
A Listeria infection can cause severe pathologies (meningitis,
septicemia), particularly in immunocompromised populations.
Testing for Listeria in food products before they reach the
consumer market is an example of food safety management.
Manufacturing sterile products
Strict regulations govern certain products, such as intravenous
therapeutic drugs, which must be guaranteed to be sterile
before commercialization. Sterility can be guaranteed by performing
tests on raw materials during the production process and on
final products. Rigorous sterility controls provide quality
assurance and safeguard the consumer.
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