Malaria is diagnosed with the help of microscopic examination of blood. Australian scientists have now discovered that the chemical make-up of malaria patients' breath has distinctive properties, making diagnosis by breath analysis a possibility. Researchers are confident that this discovery will help develop a fast and economical system for malaria detection.
The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) conducted tests on volunteers by infecting them with malaria under controlled circumstances. Researchers detected higher levels of four sulphuric compounds in the participants' breath. These levels were in direct correlation with the severity of the infection.
Malaria
Malaria is caused by a parasite that enters blood through the bite of an infected mosquito. It is characterized by fever, vomiting, shivering, sweating and other symptoms.
Advertisement
CSIRO said, "The chemicals are not detectable by the human nose, but with the proper instruments, the disease can be diagnosed earlier than with the standard blood examination method."
Stephen Trowell, CSIRO research group leader, said, "What is exciting is that the increase in these chemicals were present at very early stages of infection, when many other methods would have been unable to detect the parasite in the body of people infected with malaria. We are also working with colleagues to develop very specific, sensitive and cheap biosensors that could be used in the clinic and the field to test breath for malaria."
Source: Medindia
Source: Medindia
Malaria - Waterborne
Encyclopedia section of medindia gives general information about About Malaria Causes
Advertisement
 New Herbal Remedy to Fight MalariaRecent research has shown that the powdered dried leaves of Artemisia annua is much more effective in treating malaria than the purified form of the drug artemisinin. | Advertisement
|
Malaria Vaccine Reaching New Heights in Africa
Clinical trials held for malaria vaccine recently have revealed that it is capable of protecting infants in Africa against malaria.
Advertisement
Recommended Reading
Latest Tropical Disease News
Pregnant women in Korogwe, Tanzania are found to have a high risk of contracting malaria, which is one of the deadliest diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
Can nasal swab test save you from emerging diseases? Yes, simple nasal swab can offer early detection of new deadly viruses.
Brain-eating amoeba (Naegleria fowleri) infection claims a South Korean man's life.
Harmless infrared light is used to detect malaria with the help of a computer algorithm processed by a smart phone.
Monkeypox virus may be shed into semen during both acute and convalescent stages of the disease in crab-eating macaques.