Colorado State University (USA) has developed a new processing device capable of testing and classifying different types of influenza, including those caused by the H5N1 virus, in just 11 hours.
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| Professors Robert Kuchta and Kathy Rowlen introduce the scanner and Flu Chip |
Although still undergoing validation, researchers hope to soon develop the Flu Chip into an effective instant diagnostic tool. “Currently, it takes us 3 to 4 days to send suspected virus samples to the laboratory for analysis. This process is too long for a disease with a high mortality rate and easy transmission like avian influenza,” said Kathy Rowlen, a chemistry professor at Colorado State University. “Doctors need to know the results quickly to prescribe strong antibiotics and isolate patients from others.”
There are some rapid testing tools on the market, but they can only determine whether a person has influenza without distinguishing which type of flu it is. In contrast, the Flu Chip, which is installed and read by a special scanner, can react to most types of influenza and provide accurate results of 90% for the H5N1 virus.
On average, about 250,000 to 500,000 people die from influenza worldwide each year. Currently, the greatest risk is posed by H5N1, which spreads through poultry in Asia and Europe. It becomes particularly dangerous when it mutates into a virus that spreads from person to person. Recently, this virus has affected 123 people, half of whom have died.
T.N. (according to Reuters)
