Scientists develop simple at-home flu test
A new study has found a way that taste can help early detection of influenza.
The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things, especially the medical landscape.
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During the height of the pandemic, infections and other common illnesses, such as influenza, declined.
Post-pandemic, things will never be “normal” again, but influenza infection rates during flu season seem to be increasing year after year.
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According to Dr Priyon Bose, influenza is a viral infection that causes acute respiratory disease and is responsible for approximately 500,000 deaths every year.
Spotlight reports a total of 11,000 deaths and 40,000 influenza virus hospitalisations in South Africa every year.
While vaccines and other medications can be effective, prevention and early detection play a crucial role in managing disease or illness cases.
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A new study has made significant headway in helping to detect influenza early, turning your tongue into a built-in diagnostic tool.
The National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza Implementation Plan in the United States primarily focuses on developing diagnostic devices to distinguish between individuals infected with the influenza virus and those who are healthy.
The specific method most commonly used to diagnose a flu infection is the extremely sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay.
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This assay is time-consuming, and its widespread application can pose a logistical challenge, especially in low-income countries, due to its high cost.
There is an urgent need for improved diagnostics, as most serological influenza tests produce inaccurate results for asymptomatic individuals.
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The goal is to develop diagnostic tests that can detect the infection, particularly among pre-symptomatic but contagious patients.
In a recent study, published in ACS Central Science, researchers have designed and evaluated two novel sensors for their efficiency in detecting early influenza infections through taste.
There are many more technical bits, but we won't try to explain them all to you.
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ScienceDaily explains: "The team developed a molecular sensor that releases a flavor that human tongues can detect -- thymol, found in the spice thyme. The sensor is based on a substrate of the influenza virus glycoprotein called neuraminidase (the "N" in H1N1).
Influenza viruses use neuraminidase to break certain bonds on the host's cell to infect it.
Researchers synthesized a neuraminidase substrate and attached a thymol molecule to it. Thymol registers as a strong herbal taste on the tongue. Theoretically, when the synthesized sensor is in the mouth of someone infected with the flu, the viruses lob off the thymol molecules, and their flavor is detected by the tongue."
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If you want to read more about the study and its findings, you can find the full scientific explanation here.
The current findings are based on biochemical and saliva-sample analyses rather than direct human testing; therefore, more clinical studies will be needed before it can be introduced for clinical use.
Ultimately, the study found that researchers were able to develop a taste-based sensor to detect influenza infection at an early stage, with the potential to distinguish between healthy individuals and those who are asymptomatic but have recently contracted the infection.
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