According to a story from bioengineer.org, scientists from Washington State University have successfully developed a compact and cost effective infection detection device that is comparable in effectiveness to clinical labs. The detector has demonstrated the ability to detect a diverse array of pathogens, including the bacteria the causes Lyme disease. The project was led by Lei Li of the engineering school and Ping Wang, from the University of Pennsylvania.
The detection of Lyme disease can be a major issue, and a significant proportion of false negatives can occur in testing. This small and portable new detection system has the potential to make accurate testing for infections such as Lyme more readily available in underserved, rural areas, where exposure is often more likely to occur in the first place. The device could also have significant utility in potential emergencies, such as fast spreading bacterial or viral disease epidemics, when rapid detection is essential.
A significant advantage is the speed at which detection is possible. In rural areas, doctors are forced to rely on assessing a patient’s symptoms or less advanced test sample results in order to determine if the patient is suffering from infection. In other cases, they may be expected to send off results to a laboratory. It can often take days before doctors will receive a reply. In that length of time, many infections can worsen dramatically. While there are other, more mobile detection machines available, they typically can only measure a single sample at a time.
In testing, the machine demonstrated that it was only slightly less accurate than conventional detection labs. It was tested against several common infectious agents as well as Lyme disease. Even at its worst, the device was still 97 percent accurate. The detector is capable of analyzing 96 samples at once. The rapid speed of detection also improves the pace at which caregivers can begin treatment, which is essential in many illnesses such as Lyme disease, which can develop debilitating symptoms without prompt intervention.
This is all in a device that cost the researchers only about $50 dollars to make, and they project that manufacturing costs could be significantly lower. Clearly this new machine has the potential to change the lives of many patients.
