There are 245,000 cases of sepsis in the UK every year. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death.

In the UK alone, about 100,000 babies per year will require specialist neonatal care, of which the vast majority will be treated for suspected sepsis using gentamicin.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics, such as gentamicin, can cause profound deafness in 1:500 people who carry the MT-RNR1 variant m.1555>G. This variant can be detected using the Genedrive MT-RNR1 ID Kit.