IT is true that malaria is one of the dangerous diseases plaguing the world of which
people in the developing countries are the worst hit. Many organizations have done
their best to ensure that this disease if not totally eliminated, but it's effect reduced to the
barest minimum. Lots of sensitization and awareness programs have been organized to
educate the people on the dangers of malaria and how to prevent it.
Precautionary measures have been designed to stop the spread of this disease that has
taken so many lives in the past years. different methods of treatment have been developed
for its treatment. But before commencing treatment, it has to be diagnosed in order to
ascertain the kind of treatment to be rendered. According to this article by Parija Kavilanz
@ CNNTech, check the device that is capable of diagnosing malaria in 5 seconds. excerp
people in the developing countries are the worst hit. Many organizations have done
their best to ensure that this disease if not totally eliminated, but it's effect reduced to the
barest minimum. Lots of sensitization and awareness programs have been organized to
educate the people on the dangers of malaria and how to prevent it.
taken so many lives in the past years. different methods of treatment have been developed
for its treatment. But before commencing treatment, it has to be diagnosed in order to
ascertain the kind of treatment to be rendered. According to this article by Parija Kavilanz
@ CNNTech, check the device that is capable of diagnosing malaria in 5 seconds. excerp
This device can
diagnose malaria in
5 seconds
Malaria, which affects 200 million people each
year, is
one of the deadliest diseases in the world.
Although it is preventable and curable, the World Health Organization
estimates that 438,000 people died from malaria in 2015, mostly in
sub-Saharan
Africa.
estimates that 438,000 people died from malaria in 2015, mostly in
sub-Saharan
Africa.
John Lewandowski, a PhD student in mechanical engineering at MIT, said
diagnosing it quickly is critical.
diagnosing it quickly is critical.
"Early detection is very important, typically in the first five to seven days
before
symptoms arise, so that treatment can begin," said Lewandowski, 26.
before
symptoms arise, so that treatment can begin," said Lewandowski, 26.
He's designed a mechanical device called RAM
(Rapid Assessment of Malaria)
that is able to detect malaria in five seconds from a drop of blood.
(Rapid Assessment of Malaria)
that is able to detect malaria in five seconds from a drop of blood.
There are two primary ways to diagnose malaria: You can test a drop of
blood under a microscope to identify the parasite, or you can do a
diagnostic test
on a blood drop sample, which returns a positive or negative result, similar
to a
home pregnancy test.
blood under a microscope to identify the parasite, or you can do a
diagnostic test
on a blood drop sample, which returns a positive or negative result, similar
to a
home pregnancy test.
But many rural communities in Africa and Asia don't have the medical
infrastructure for microscopic tests, and the diagnostic test can't detect
malaria
infection in the very early stages.
infrastructure for microscopic tests, and the diagnostic test can't detect
malaria
infection in the very early stages.
Lewandowski developed his device to make diagnosing malaria quicker and
cheaper.
cheaper.
The RAM is battery-operated, costs about $100 to $120, and is made from
low-cost materials. The plastic box (measuring 4x4 inches) has a small
circuit board, a few magnets and a laser on the inside. On the outside is an
LCD screen, an SD card slot and a plastic disposable cuvette.
low-cost materials. The plastic box (measuring 4x4 inches) has a small
circuit board, a few magnets and a laser on the inside. On the outside is an
LCD screen, an SD card slot and a plastic disposable cuvette.
"It's pretty bare bones," said Lewandowski, who's the founder and CEO of
Boston-based Disease Diagnostic Group, which is developing the device.
Boston-based Disease Diagnostic Group, which is developing the device.
Malaria parasites in human blood create iron crystals that are magnetic
in nature.
in nature.
"As an engineer, I thought about creating a way to detect these magnetic
crystals quickly," said Lewandows
The laser helps identify the pattern and diagnose the disease.
crystals quickly," said Lewandows
The laser helps identify the pattern and diagnose the disease.
(If the disease isn't present, no crystals form.)
The technology is deliberately simplistic and easy to use, although
diagnosing
the parasite and determining treatment needs to be done by a local clinic
or
hospital.
diagnosing
the parasite and determining treatment needs to be done by a local clinic
or
hospital.
"The technology is novel," said David Sullivan, a professor at
Johns Hopkins
University and an expert on "hemozoin," or the iron crystals. Sullivan, who
is
familiar with the device, said it offers a slight advantage over the rapid
diagnostic
tests because of its speed; some malaria patients can die within 24 hours.
Johns Hopkins
University and an expert on "hemozoin," or the iron crystals. Sullivan, who
is
familiar with the device, said it offers a slight advantage over the rapid
diagnostic
tests because of its speed; some malaria patients can die within 24 hours.
Rapid blood testing devices have been in the spotlight recently.
Most prominently, Theranos, which claimed its blood testing device could
process a full range of lab tests with just few drops of blood. The firm was
valued
at $9 billion, but in October 2015, a WSJ report questioned the accuracy of
Theranos' blood tests and it has been under fire since then.
Most prominently, Theranos, which claimed its blood testing device could
process a full range of lab tests with just few drops of blood. The firm was
valued
at $9 billion, but in October 2015, a WSJ report questioned the accuracy of
Theranos' blood tests and it has been under fire since then.
But Lewandowski said his device isn't reinventing the wheel.
"Our technology is just speeding up that same process and bringing down
the
cost," he said.
the
cost," he said.
At the same time, he said the company is exploring how the technology
could
pivot to test for other mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and
Zika virus.
could
pivot to test for other mosquito-borne diseases like dengue fever and
Zika virus.
Since 2013, Disease Diagnostic Group has tested the RAM device in
clinical trials
in India.
clinical trials
in India.
"In India, the field study of 250 patients showed a 93% to 97% accuracy,"
Lewandowski said, adding that a new field study will launch this summer in
Nigeria with up to 5,000 patients.
Lewandowski said, adding that a new field study will launch this summer in
Nigeria with up to 5,000 patients.
The startup has won about $1.5 million from various business competitions,
including the MIT $100K Pitch Competition and the Harvard Life Science
Accelerator.
including the MIT $100K Pitch Competition and the Harvard Life Science
Accelerator.
"We self-funded initially and the rest of our investment is from prize money
and grants," said Lewandowski. He said the firm has six full-time
employees and
operates a lab and testing facility in Buffalo, New York.
and grants," said Lewandowski. He said the firm has six full-time
employees and
operates a lab and testing facility in Buffalo, New York.
The startup is already selling the devices in limited quantities to doctors in
small clinics and individual healthcare workers doing malaria field tests
in India.
small clinics and individual healthcare workers doing malaria field tests
in India.
The firm has submitted the device for approval to the WHO and for EU
health and safety certification.
health and safety certification.
Lewandowski expects to have RAM devices more widely available for
purchase
in a year, and eventually in the hands of families in high-risk regions of the
world
for malaria."For us, social impact is our mission," he said. "We want them
to be
used in the
purchase
in a year, and eventually in the hands of families in high-risk regions of the
world
for malaria."For us, social impact is our mission," he said. "We want them
to be
used in the
right way by the right people who need them the most."
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