In a new breakthrough in the world of medical examination, researchers from Rice University have successfully developed a new way to test Malaria through using a laser pulse, instead of blood testing.
Although the new test has only been tried on mice so far, it was found to be safe in humans. Trials on mice have resulted on successful detection of malaria when only one in a million red blood cell was infected.
The test inventor, Dmitri O. Lapotko, stated that the invented device could test one person every 20 seconds with a cost of less than 50 cents each- both numbers considered outstanding in the world of medical testing, while earier known testing methods are relatively time and labor- consuming.
Dmitri O. Lapotko further stated that clinical trials on humans with malaria symptoms are scheduled in the next few weeks. The new procedure of “transdermal detection adds a new dimension to malaria diagnostics and can in the future support the rapid, high-throughput, and high-sensitive diagnosis and screening by nonmedical personnel under field conditions, including the detection of early and asymptomatic disease”-Lapotko et al.
References:
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
Photo Source:
E. Lukianova-Hleb/Rice University
