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Written By: Admin | Published : August 28, 2013 12:08 PM IST
A team of researchers at the University of Washington have a developed a patch with tiny, biodegradable needles that can penetrate the skin and precisely deliver a TB test.
Senior author Marco Rolandi, a University of Washington assistant professor of materials science and engineering, said that with a microneedle test there`s little room for user error, because the depth of delivery is determined by the microneedle length rather than the needle-insertion angle. He said that this test is painless and easier to administer than the traditional skin test with a hypodermic needle.
Rolandi's lab and collaborators at the Infectious Disease Research Institute in Seattle say that their test is going to be easier to use, less painful and has the potential to be more successful than the standard TB skin test. The researchers tested the patch on guinea pigs and found that after the microneedles were inserted using the patch, the skin reaction associated with having a tuberculosis infection was the same as when using the standard hypodermic needle test.
Rolandi said that a microneedle patch test has potential as a simpler, more reliable option than the traditional tuberculosis test for children who are needle-shy, or in developing countries where medical care is limited. He added that it`s like putting on a bandage, as long as the patch is applied on the skin, the test is always delivered to the same depth underneath the skin.
The research has been published online in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.
What is tuberculosis?
Tuberculosis is a common infectious disease caused by bacteria called mycobacterium tuberculosis which affects the lungs. Main symptoms of TB are severe cough that lasts for three weeks or longer, bloody or discoloured sputum, night sweats, fever, fatigue and weakness, pain in the chest, loss of appetite, and pain during breathing or coughing. India had the highest total number of TB cases worldwide in 2010 partly due to poor disease management by the private healthcare sector. TB can be prevented by vaccination and maintaining high levels of hygiene. One infected, the patient should follow the medication regimen properly. By not doing so, there are chances of developing resistance to anti-TB drugs resulting in an aggressive form of TB called MDR-TB (multi-drug resistant TB).
