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MIT Advances Its Quest to Identify Life-Threatening Bacteria
| Source: Micro Imaging Technology, Inc.
SAN CLEMENTE, CA--(Marketwire - December 10, 2007) - Micro Imaging Technology (OTCBB : MMTC )
today announced technical advances have occurred in its laser-based MIT
1000 microbial rapid identification system that can identify the
life-threatening bacterial strain Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA).
The System can now identify (four) 4 different Staphylococcus aureus
(Staph) strain types including the MRSA strain. MIT's ultimate goal is to
enable the MIT 1000 system to rapidly (within minutes of culturing)
differentiate MRSA from non-resistant 'Staph' bacteria.
As reported in an earlier press release, Staphylococcus aureus or 'Staph,'
the most common cause of Staph infections, is a bacterium frequently living
on the skin or in the nose of a person and can cause a range of illnesses
from minor skin infections, like pimples, boils, and abscesses, to
life-threatening diseases, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and toxic shock
syndrome. Some strains of Staph bacteria have become resistant to common
antibiotics, including methicillin, oxacillin, penicillin and amoxicillin.
These bacteria have become known as Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus
aureus or MRSA.
In November 2007, the Centers for Disease Control reported that in 2005
over 278,000 people were diagnosed and hospitalized for MRSA related
infections and incidents are increasing at a rate from 6% to over 9%
annually throughout the four major regions of the United States.
In addition, resistant strains of E. coli (ESBL E. coli) infections are
rapidly increasing. According to an article published in July 2007 from
the University of Pittsburgh, "Extended-spectrum B-lactamase
(ESBL)-producing organisms have become a common problem for patients in
hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Community-onset ESBL infections
have recently been described in Spain, the United Kingdom, Israel, and
Canada. These organisms may be resistant to most or all antimicrobial
agents commonly used to treat urinary tract infections, such as
ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, gentamicin, and ceftriaxone.
"In the United Kingdom, 25 of the first 108 patients with documented
community-onset ESBL-producing E. coli infections died. Frequent
occurrence of ESBL-producing E. coli in the United States would be an
important public health problem and may necessitate changes in empiric
antimicrobial therapy."
MIT recently started research in this area and is already able to identify
(nine) 9 different strains of E. coli.
John Ricardi, MIT's Vice President, Business Development, stated, "We are
very encouraged with the advancements made in the past several months and
expect further progress will be achieved in both areas in early 2008.
Advancing the MIT 1000 capability to rapidly identify and differentiate
antibiotic resistant bacteria from 'treatable' bacteria should provide
health care centers with a useful tool to help isolate and control
life-threatening bacterial infections."
About Micro Imaging Technology
The Company has developed and patented a technology for rapid microbe
detection and identification. The system measures scattered light intensity
as individual microbes pass through a laser beam. The intensity pattern of
the scattered light is a direct consequence of the size, shape and external
and internal optical characteristics of the microbe. The MIT System is
non-biological and does not rely on biological agents, conventional
chemical processing, fluorescent tags, gas chromatography or DNA analysis.
MIT has demonstrated the ability to detect and identify, within several
minutes, the microbes Escherichia coli, Listeria, Salmonella,
Staphylococcus aureus, Shigella and other pathogenic bacteria. The
identification process has been verified by North American Science
Associates, Inc. (NAMSA), an independent, internationally recognized
biological testing laboratory. The Test Report, in the Company's opinion,
demonstrated the accuracy, speed and efficiency of the MIT system over
conventional processes and is available from the Company. The MIT 1000
System was recently featured in the Rapid Microbiology international
newsletter. The article can be viewed at
www.rapidmicrobiology.com/news/1231n0.ph.
This release contains statements that are forward-looking in nature.
Statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to
future events or conditions or that include words such as "expects,"
"anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," and similar
expressions are forward-looking statements. These statements are made
based upon information available to the Company as of the date of this
release, and we assume no obligation to update any such forward-looking
statements. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and
actual results could differ materially from our current expectations.
Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are
not limited to dependence on suppliers; short product life cycles and
reductions in unit selling prices; delays in development or shipment of new
products; lack of market acceptance of our new products or services;
inability to continue to develop competitive new products and services on a
timely basis; introduction of new products or services by major
competitors; our ability to attract and retain qualified employees;
inability to expand our operations to support increased growth; and
declining economic conditions, including a recession. These and other
factors and risks associated with our business are discussed from time to
time within our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.