A drop of blood or saliva to diagnose malaria

Researchers have developed a new revolutionary method of diagnosing malaria from a single drop of blood or saliva.

[Read: Diagnostic Tests for Malaria]

The new inexpensive method is a boon for the socially deprived areas where there is a serious scarcity of proper resources like proper equipments, clean water, trained doctors, electricity, etc.

Researchers at the Aarhus University, Denmark have claimed that the method is based on the measuring the activity of topoisomerase I enzyme from the Plasmodium parasite.

According to the University statement, with the help of technology called REEAD (Rolling Circle-Enhanced Enzyme Activity Detection), it is possible to detect malaria from even a single drop of blood or saliva.

The new method is much simpler than the current diagnostic methods and involves fewer hitches. The technology doesn’t require any special training for the personnel and is far less expensive.

The REEAD technology can also measure whether a plasmodium infection is drug resistant or not, distinguishing it from other quick testing methods and making it more suitable for large-scale testing.

Read more Health News.