Coming soon: Fast and cheap Zika detection
Detecting the Zika virus isn't cheap or easy, but a diverse crew of collaborative scientists is changing that.
Posted — UpdatedWhat once took multiple days, expensive equipment and trained laboratory technicians may now take just a few hours, a couple bucks and a pair of eyes. This new biotechnology hasn’t quite hit the market, but preliminary tests show promise.
Since Zika has no unique symptoms (it presents like the flu) and a cure has not yet been found, quick, easy-to-use tests can help governments follow outbreaks and hopefully contain the spread of disease.
One of the technologies uses programmable sensors that detect Zika-specific RNA. The other is a postage-stamp-sized, paper-based platform onto which the sensors are placed. When combined, these make for an easily stored and transported diagnostic tool.
With a small sample of either blood, saliva or urine applied to the paper, the sensors turn purple within an hour in the presence of Zika.
Given that some of the most affected regions lack access to the tools and personnel necessary to diagnose Zika the traditional way — via laboratory testing by trained individuals — this tool shows promise to meet current technical and economic challenges in the field.
Though this study only shows that a tool like this can work, the research team plans to secure the resources to further develop the product and scale up manufacturing. Once in production, this diagnostic tool can be deployed in the field.
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