New testing device said to detect Ebola in less than 30 minutes, say scientists

A new quicker device has been developed by a team of researchers with members from the U.S., Senegal, and Guinea, in cooperation with Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), for a quicker detection of the Ebola virus.

Editorial Team | Published: December 14, 2018 2:34 pm

A rare and deadly condition Ebola disease is caused by the Ebola virus. © Shutterstock

A rare and deadly condition Ebola disease is caused by the Ebola virus. Since it spreads rapidly, a quick response is required to control its outbreak.

Ebola-like symptoms resemble symptoms in initial stage infections of diseases like malaria. The sample is then sent for lab testing. The entire process is very time consuming and tends to consume several days. Therefore, the infection keeps spreading in the meantime.

The new test device helps in on-site testing in less than 30 minutes.

The device makes use of surface-enhanced Raman scattering and technology already under development by BD. An existing device was improved by the team to detect viruses in a blood sample. The device bounces the light off the molecules present in the blood sample and the results are then compared with the embedded barcodes which represent disease signatures. Therefore, only a small blood sample is required. After the testing process, the result produced can be understood by virtually anybody who can read.

The research result revealed that the device showed strong sensitivity for Ebola and excellent malaria sensitivity. Further research will continue and the device is suggested to be put to use in places that suffer from the shortage of electricity.

Published: December 14, 2018 2:34 pm

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