Professor Levine pictured with staff at Mali's Centre for Vaccine Development where the trial is taking place
Professor Levine pictured with staff at Mali's Centre for Vaccine Development where the trial is taking place
Alert:....UK FIRM DESIGN ‘FAST AND SIMPLE’ EBOLA SCREEN TEST
Scientists at a British company say they have come up with a test to fight the Ebola epidemic.
Experts at Primerdesign Ltd said it has developed a fast and simple way to screen suspected victims.
They say the kit detects the DNA fingerprint of the Ebola Virus in the blood in just 90 minutes and is ‘affordable’ and ‘easy to use’.
The firm is now in talks with the World Health Organisation about plans to roll out large numbers to the frontline in West Africa as soon as possible.
Doctor Jim Wicks, Managing Director of Primerdesign, a spin-off company from the University of Southampton, said it meets an ‘urgent’ need.
Dr Wicks said: ‘Accurate diagnostics is essential in controlling an outbreak like Ebola.
‘There is an urgent need for rapid testing to screen suspected patients and people travelling in and out of the region.
‘Our test is quick, affordable and easy to perform.’
By picking up minute quantities of the disease in the early stages, the kit makes pre-emptive healthcare intervention possible.
It works on the principle that viruses all have a unique genetic fingerprint, like humans, only its encoded in RNA (Ribonucleic acid) rather than DNA.
A blood sample is taken from the patient before RNA is extracted, placed in a tube with the kit’s ingredients and run through a machine.
The result is ready within 90 minutes.