AUSTRALIAN scientists have developed a cheap and simple-to-use infrared technology that could diagnose malaria at the crucial early stages.
While malaria has been eradicated in most developed countries, the mosquito-borne virus still kills more than 600,000 people each year, mostly children.
Monash University’s Bayden Wood, who led the research team, says he hopes the new device will stop the disease spreading.
“If the parasites are only in very small numbers, it’s very hard for the clinician to pick the parasites up looking down a microscope” he told the ABC.
“So we looked at the very early stages, down at the single cell level, and by looking at those red blood cells that were affected, we saw that they had this specific fatty acid signature.
“Then we thought, maybe we can use this for our diagnosis.”
Although significant progress has been made in treating and preventing the spread of the disease, for many, access to life-saving treatment is not a reality.
