It is very important to keep track of malaria cases, but taking and analysing blood samples canbe
The proof-of-concept device was developed by a team at the University of Queensland in Australia led by Dr. Maggie Lord.
The handheld spectrometer directs a beam of infrared light at the patient's earlobe or fingertip.
Photo: University of Queensland
Infrared light penetrates the skin intoblood flow, and the light that is reflected is the indicator. Malaria infects red blood cells, causing both structural and chemical changes, including the presence of parasite-specific proteins. The scientists hypothesized that these changes would lead to unique signatures in infected people.
After the device processes the signature of the reflected light, it wirelessly transmitsdata to the paired smartphone. A dedicated app shows the results in real-time, letting the user know if the patient is infectedmalaria parasite.
In its current form, the spectrometer costs about $2,500, but it will quickly pay for itself in a real-life scenario, the authors of the development are sure.
Malaria is a life-threatening diseasecaused by parasites that are transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Malaria is preventable and treatable. According to WHO estimates, there were 241 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2020.
In the same year, an estimated 627,000 people died from malaria.
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On the cover: photo of malaria cells, credit: Dr. Mae Melvin, USCDCP