
via University of Reading
Accurate home testing could be used for a wider range of illnesses, as new research shows the capability of smartphone-powered tests for Dengue Fever.
In a paper published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, biomedical technology researchers from the University of Reading used a new diagnostic kit called Cygnus to detect Dengue Fever with significantly improved rates over lateral flow testing kits.
Working with academics and clinicians in Thailand, the team trialled the tests alongside already established alternatives in and found the new tests showed 82% clinical sensitivity, beating lateral flow testing (74% sensitivity) and matching hospital-based lab diagnostics (83% sensitivity). At the same time, these devices make 10 measurements allowing us to identify which of the 4 different dengue virus types caused the infection.
Dr Sarah Needs, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Microfluidic Antimicrobial Resistance Testing from the University of Reading is lead author of the paper.
Dr Needs said:
“The paper shows exciting potential for the use of the microfluidic ‘lab on a strip’ tests that can used in conjunction with a smartphone and are more powerful than LFT testing in this case. As well as being cheap to produce, the lab on a strip technology allows users to test many different targets at once in one single sample, so it could be useful to detect multiple diseases not just one.
Lab on a strip
The new diagnostic test developed for the research uses ‘lab on a strip’ technology, which performs 10 or more tests a very small amount of liquid sample (such as blood, urine or saliva).
The tests developed for the research were specifically developed to detect Dengue Fever, which affects an estimated 400m cases each year. While most cases are mild, dengue infections can lead to significant complications and can be fatal. Dengue can be most severe in children and is a serious health challenge facing half the global population.
Dr Alexander Edwards, Associate Professor in Biomedical Technology at the University of Reading co-created the lab on a strip technology.
Dr Edwards said:
“While some people might only recently learned of the trade-offs between home vs lab testing following Covid-19, in many parts of the world rapid lateral flow tests are used for a range of illnesses including dengue.
“With the Cygnus concept, we are tackling the biggest hurdle for home testing. How do you make something portable that can be cheaply mass produced while still matching laboratory test performance? By designing the microfluidic lab on a strip using mass-production melt-extrusion it is possible to scale up production and produce hundreds of thousands of tests. By recording results with smartphones, which are becoming ubiquitous, we have designed something that could be revolutionary for healthcare.”
Original Article: Dengue test shows new hope for low-cost diagnostics
More from: University of Reading
The Latest on: Dengue fever detection
- Stay Alert From These Mosquito-Borne Illnesses This Monsoonon July 5, 2022 at 4:56 am
Mosquito-borne diseases are prevalent in monsoons. Here are four common diseases that you need to watch out. Monsoon surely brings relief from scorching heat but it also sets the breeding ground for ...
- 49 dengue patients hospitalised in 24 hourson July 2, 2022 at 5:06 am
At least 49 dengue patients were admitted to hospitals across the country in 24 hours, till 8am today (June 29, 2022). Among the new cases, only two are outside of Dhaka, according to the ...
- Some viruses make you smell tastier to mosquitoeson June 30, 2022 at 8:00 am
Zika and dengue fever viruses alter the scent of mice and humans they infect, researchers report in the 30 June issue of Cell. The altered scent attracts mosquitoes, which bite the host ...
- Dengue and Zika viruses make infected hosts more delicious to mosquitoeson June 30, 2022 at 8:00 am
A study published in the journal Cell on June 30 shows that when humans and mice are infected with dengue or Zika viruses, they secrete a chemical that may make them more attractive to mosquitoes, the ...
- Malaria, dengue surge as city battles COVID-19on June 29, 2022 at 8:12 pm
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has witnessed a 66 per cent rise in Malaria and 50 per cent surge in Dengue cases in the last one week, with most of cases being recorded in South Mumbai ...
- ‘Doctored’ reports on dengue expose departmental illson June 29, 2022 at 5:28 pm
adding that the current weather conditions could lead to an increase in dengue fever cases in Punjab. The official said the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) also highlighted the same ...
- Genomic characterisation for improved responses to dengue outbreaks in Tanzaniaon June 27, 2022 at 3:22 am
Gaspary Mwanyika, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania, details the importance of genomic characterisation in the control of dengue ...
- Ho Chi Minh City: Dengue fever patients increase rapidly in hospitalson June 26, 2022 at 6:12 am
On June 24, the Department of Health of Ho Chi Minh City said that a quick report from the city’s 4 last-line hospitals for dengue treatment showed that hospital admissions were increasing. Up to ...
- Mumbai: BMC issues advisory as dengue raises its head againon June 25, 2022 at 10:22 am
Dengue is one of the most prevalent vector-borne arboviruses, transmitted between humans by the Aedes mosquito. Health officials have raised concern over the rising cases as the symptoms are similar ...
- Ho Chi Minh City reports sharp rise in dengue fever caseson June 24, 2022 at 12:56 pm
Photo: Thu Hien / Tuoi Tre Dengue fever is entering its peak in Ho Chi Minh City this ... the agency asked all health facilities to closely follow the guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of the ...
via Bing News
The Latest on: Dengue fever detection
via Google News
Add Comment