Detecting Malaria With Infrared Light

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Detecting Malaria With Infrared Light

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Researchers have found a way to detect one of the most deadly, and most common diseases in the world, malaria. Scientists have developed a test that is inexpensive and quick that can detect malaria in its earliest stages, through the use of infrared light. This discovery could greatly reduce the number of people who succumb to the effects of malaria on an annual basis.

The research was undertaken at the Monash University and the University of Melbourne, Australia and was marked by the Analytical Chemistry Journal as a breakthrough. The technology behind the test is that it searches for “fatty acids in the parasite that causes malaria.” Because of the ease of use and its expected low price point, it’s hoped that this test would become available for use in developing countries where malaria is most prevalent.

The current testing procedure for malaria is costly and requires trained staff to examine the blood samples that have been collected. Because the disease is most prevalent in developing countries, this limitation was something that researchers sought to overcome. A test known as the “Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR)” will utilize the power of infrared lighting as a way to detect the molecular vibrations that the malaria virus causes.

Using the infrared light technique means that scientists will have a way to look for the parasite that leads to the blood infection and determine how many parasites are in the blood. This new technique allows for treatment to be started earlier because detection will be possible in the earliest stages. It’s been shown that once the parasites mature, they can hide in tissues, therefore making blood detection virtually impossible. Also, once the parasites infiltrate the tissue they can work their way into the capillaries of the brain that can eventually lead to death.

With the new infrared technology, a determination can be made using a portable laboratory and inexpensive testing materials. Being able to catch malaria in the earliest stages will lead to more hopeful outcomes for patients.

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