Guth·rie test (g th r )n. A bacterial inhibition assay for measuring serum phenylalanine, used to detect phenylketonuria in the newborn. |
Guthrie test
[guth′re]
a screening tool used with infants to determine the level of phenylalanine in the blood. Blood from the head is placed on filter paper, which is then placed on agar plates with a strain of Bacillus subtilis that requires phenylalanine for growth. If there is excessive phenylalanine in the blood sample, a halo will form around the filter paper, and additional tests are required to determine the seriousness of the hyperphenylalaninemia.
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