Smart plaster for diagnosis of malaria

2020: The announcement of the smart plaster revealing malaria at the person in 20 minutes

In the middle of November, 2020 the Rice University released a plaster with microneedles which allows to reveal malaria at the expense of the analysis of intercellular liquid. It is enough to patient to paste a plaster on skin that in 20 minutes to receive result.

Malaria - a serious problem in many parts of the world where access to medical services is limited or is absent. Many people living in such regions cannot undergo laboratory diagnosis of malaria therefore inexpensive alternative methods are necessary for them.

There was a smart plaster which reveals malaria at the person in 20 minutes

The plaster developed by researchers contains a set of hollow microneedles. When gluing on skin they softly pierce a high layer and involve intercellular liquid, and the test strip on the basis of antibodies allows to estimate the maintenance of proteinaceous biomarkers of malaria. The device provides easily readable visual result in the form of color strips, similar to the test for pregnancy.

Microneedles have thickness only 375 microns and almost do not cause pain at introduction. They are hydrophilic and therefore easily involve interstitial liquid. The new plaster can also be used for diagnosis of other diseases, including COVID-19.

We developed our device for detection of malaria because this project financed Fund Bill and Melinda Gates, - one of researchers, Peter Lillehoj noted. - But we can adapt this technology for detection of other diseases which biomarkers appear in interstitial liquid.

The cost of a smart plaster is only $1, so, it can be used in undeveloped regions. At the same time the plastyrepodobny type does the device more attractive and usual for patients, developers note.^[1]

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