A partnership of scientists that includes Jean Patterson, Professor, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, is working on a novel technique to spot Zika virus. Reportedly, this research will assist guide doctors in their treatment plans for patients. The latest test employs optofluidic chips and screens bodily fluids including urine, blood, and semen, for the existence of the virus. This novel approach will assist in pinpointing the stage of the disease as well.
Researchers from the University of California Santa Cruz, the University of California at Berkeley, and Brigham Young University were involved in the development of the technology being tested. Dr. Patterson explained that the latest technology will let the person know if they already had been infected. If an individual has antibodies, they would not be at risk for the additional infection. This test is supposed to disclose the stage of infection as well.
On a similar note, millions of individuals have contracted chikungunya and Zika virus infections since the epidemics, which have been attacking Latin America since 2013. Particularly, Zika-associated deformities in infants were not dependable diagnostics. Researchers from the Charité – Universitätsmedizin, Berlin demonstrate the issues with the presently available diagnostics, specifically for the detection of Zika virus. They developed collective testing techniques that have higher dependability.
Prof Felix Drexler, who leads the Virus Epidemiology group at the Charité, proclaimed that false positive outcomes can lead to lethal consequences. He has been working to develop detection techniques for viruses for years. A specific reason of concern for the people affected is the growth in the brain deformities cases of infants (microcephaly). For this condition, an association with Zika virus infection has meanwhile been verified. The growth of illegitimate abortions in Latin America at the time of Zika outbreak emphasizes the remarkable consequences of undependable diagnoses.