A new technology invented at University College London (UCL) uses a test-paper-based method to detect serious infectious diseases such as AIDS and COVID-19 (Chinese Communist Pneumonia, Chinese Communist Virus) with ease, speed and 100,000 times greater accuracy than the gold nanoparticle test-paper method currently in use. This means that diseases will be detected much earlier and their spread will be stopped.
A test similar to the pregnancy test can also detect viral proteins or genes. It is now widely used to detect a wide range of diseases, from AIDS to Chinese communist pneumonia. The United Kingdom, for example, is using a test based on a paper test for Chinese Communist Pneumonia. This method is quick to diagnose and does not require time to wait for lab results, but it is not as accurate as it should be.
A recent study, published in the journal Nature, found that nanodiamonds are more sensitive to the characteristics of viruses, so that even the presence of smaller amounts of virus can be detected. This has important implications for stopping the spread of disease early.
Our proof-of-concept study demonstrates that quantum technology can be used to detect very low levels of virus in patient samples, allowing earlier diagnosis,” said principal investigator Rachel McKendry. Our study focused on the detection of AIDS, but our method is flexible and easily adapted to detect other diseases and other types of biomarkers. We are adapting this method for the detection of the Chinese Communist virus. We think this technology is transformative and will help both patients and the public.”
The study claims that this new technology can detect up to 100,000 times more accurately than using gold nanoparticles. When combined with a 10-minute heating treatment to allow the RNA to be replicated, the researchers say the new technique can reach the level of precision needed to find a single AIDS RNA molecule in a sample.
The study was presented in a laboratory setting, but the team said it plans to develop a platform for reading the results, such as a smartphone or portable fluorescence reader, to identify the results.
Over the next few months, the team will adapt this new technology to test for CCP viruses and other diseases. Crucially, the next step is to develop portable devices to read test results. Because of the technology demonstrated in this study, results will need to be read under a microscope in a laboratory. In addition, clinical trials and evaluations would have to be arranged.
Ben Miller, the study’s lead author, says, “Test strips using gold nanoparticles do not require laboratory testing and are particularly useful in resource-poor environments, but they are not sufficiently accurate. Now our new design significantly improves sensitivity by using fluorescent diamond nanoparticles instead of gold nanoparticles. This will be a low-cost, portable, and easy-to-use new detection technology.”
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