Methods and assays relating to the treatment of infection

Abstract

The technology described herein is directed to the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of infection, e.g. after burn injury.

What is claimed herein is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 (a) obtaining a leukocyte sample from a burn patient 16 years of age or older and suspected of being at risk of a  Pseudomonas  or  Staphylococci  infection or having a  Pseudomonas  or  Staphylococci  infection;   (b) isolating RNA from the sample;   (c) analyzing the isolated RNA using RT-PCR for gene expression levels of at least one gene selected from the group of:
 Thrombospondin 1 (THBS1); cyclin D2 (CCND2); MyoD family inhibitor domain containing (MDFIC); SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a, member 4 (SMARCA4); nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 3 (WHSC1L1); transmembrane protein 50B (TMEM50B); DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 7 (DCAF7); and oxysterol binding protein like 8 (OSBPL8); 
   (d) determining the values of total body surface area (TBSA) burns, age, and inhalation status of the burn patient; and   (e) multiplying the TBSA value by 0.0423; multiplying the age value by 0.0652; multiplying the inhalation status value by 3.5132; and multiplying the expression level of each measured gene by a coefficient selected from the group of:
 0.8321 for the expression level of Thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) analyzed using sequence comprising probe 201108; 0.8448 for the expression level of Thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) analyzed using the sequence comprising probe 201109, 0.0714 for the expression level of Thrombospondin 1 (THBS1) analyzed using the sequence comprising probe 201110; 0.033 for the expression level of cyclin D2 (CCND2); −0.146 for the expression level of MyoD family inhibitor domain containing (MDFIC); −1.0108 for the expression level of SWI/SNF related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a, member 4 (SMARCA4); −1.2438 for the expression level of nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 3 (WHSC1L1); −0.167 for the expression level of transmembrane protein 50B (TMEM50B); −1.4905 for the expression level of DDB1 and CUL4 associated factor 7 (DCAF7); 0.1821 for the expression level of oxysterol binding protein like 8 (OSBPL8); and 
   adding the resulting products to yield a risk value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a risk value is greater than or about −1.1912 indicates the subject should be administered at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of: antibiotics; immunotherapy; and LPS removal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sample comprises blood or plasma.