| ■ Device Provides Bird-Flu Test Results Within 30 Minutes | 2007.10.01 |
| A hand-held device that can provide bird-flu virus test results for people within 30 minutes has been developed by scientists in Singapore. Other tests currently available take a minimum of several hours to provide results. The scientists say their new device is able to isolate, purify, amplify, and identify bird flu virus DNA in throat swab samples taken from patients, BBC News reported. When tested on samples of the deadly H5N1 virus, the device delivered accurate results within 28 minutes. Quick testing of people could help make it easier to contain bird-flu outbreaks. The device could prove especially useful in areas where there's a lack of basic health resources, said the scientists from Singapore's Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology. |