Imaging Enterobacterales infections in patients using pathogen-specific positron emission tomography

Enterobacterales represent the largest group of bacterial pathogens in humans and are responsible for severe, deep-seated infections, often resulting in sepsis or death. They are also a prominent cause of multidrug-resistant (MDR) infections, and some species are recognized as biothreat pathogens. Tools for noninvasive, whole-body analysis that can localize a pathogen with specificity are needed, but no such technology currently exists. We previously demonstrated that positron emission tomography (PET) with 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-d-sorbitol (F-18-FDS) can selectively detect Enterobacterales infections in murine models. Here, we demonstrate that uptake of F-18-FDS by bacteria occurs via a metabolically conserved sorbitol-specific pathway with rapid in vitro F-18-FDS uptake noted in clinical strains, including MDR isolates. Whole-body F-18-FDS PET/computerized tomography (CT) in 26 prospectively enrolled patients with either microbiologically confirmed Enterobacterales infection or other pathologies demonstrated that F-18-FDS PET/CT was safe, could rapidly detect and localize Enterobacterales infections due to drug-susceptible or MDR strains, and differentiated them from sterile inflammation or cancerous lesions. Repeat imaging in the same patients monitored antibiotic efficacy with decreases in PET signal correlating with clinical improvement. To facilitate the use of F-18-FDS, we developed a self-contained, solid-phase cartridge to rapidly (<10 min) formulate ready-to-use F-18-FDS from commercially available 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-d-glucose (F-18-FDG) at room temperature. In a hamster model, F-18-FDS PET/CT also differentiated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumonia from secondary Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia-a leading cause of complications in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. These data support F-18-FDS as an innovative and readily available, pathogen-specific PET technology with clinical applications.

Automated summary

F-18-FDS is a PET technology that can selectively detect Enterobacterales infections, providing safe and rapid localization of infections, differentiation of different strains, and monitoring of antibiotic efficacy. Additionally, the research demonstrates the value of F-18-FDS in differentiating diseases such as complications of COVID-19.