BD’s AI Software Gains Clearance to Detect Bacterial Growth

The FDA has cleared BD’s Kiestra AI imaging application which interprets bacterial growth, including the possibility of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria, and releases negative specimens with minimal human interaction.

The BD Kiestra MRSA application uses AI to automate the process of inspecting petri dishes to determine whether there is bacterial growth, a labor and time intensive task. MRSA in hospital settings is known to cause serious problems, from blood stream or surgical-site infections to sepsis and death.

BD says it created the application in response to the “significant and ongoing labor challenges in laboratories” due to the pandemic, and is meant to help use limited laboratory staff more efficiently.

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