If a patient coughs or comes down with a fever, health care professionals want to know if they’re dealing with a case of Mexican flu, and preferably as soon as possible. It can literally be a matter of life and death. Currently, the fastest virus detection method takes hours and requires a fully-equipped laboratory with specialised technicians.

A new portable virus and bacteria detector will change this situation dramatically. Ostendum, a company in Enschede affiliated with the University of Twente, the Netherlands, has developed a prototype of the detector which is expected to be available next year. This will probably be too late to help curb Mexican flu, but there’s no reason to think the current epidemic will be the last.

 
Paul Nederkoorn, Ostendum's director, explains why current detection methods are problematic:

"The first method focuses on virus DNA – specific pieces of DNA, characteristic of the particular virus being detected, are analysed. But in order to do so, a certain amount of the virus is necessary. You need to cultivate enough material,  wasting a lot of precious time before you are can determine whether the virus or bacteria is present."

The second method involves tracking down antibodies. The antibodies made by our immune system are diverse and have a unique component specifically made to combat a particular virus. The machine used in this type of detection can indicate which virus is present depending on the antibody present, and the results are infallible. This method also requires a lot of technology and a lot of technicians, and does not deliver test results as quickly as one would like.

Antibodies for sale
The Ostendum detector, invented by Aurel Ymeti and Alma Dudia, also uses antibodies, but does so as a means of catching a virus or bacteria. Antibodies can, in fact, be bought from companies involved in genetic engineering. This saves technicians the lengthy process of cultivating viruses themselves.

Mr Nederkoorn explains how the detector works like flypaper:

"Here we have a test tube with antibodies against virus 'A'. It's a kind of glue. We apply the glue to a chip which goes into the detector. The glue catches only virus 'A'. Only that particular virus sticks. In this way, you can 'fish' for a certain kind of virus."

If virus 'A' is actually present in a bit of blood or saliva which then flows over the chip, this is indicated by an electric signal visible on the computer screen. That’s proof virus 'A' is present in the person being tested.

Airports
The new Ostendum detector delivers a test result within 60 seconds. It could be used to test passengers in airport queues before they go through customs. Even before a traveller is required to hand over his passport, customs officials will know if he carries the Mexican flu virus, or whichever illness is being tested.

The portable virus and bacteria detector will be an invaluable means of controlling epidemics in the future.