Smart Bandage Developed by NYU Abu Dhabi Researchers Detects Covid-19.

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi have developed a smart bandage that detects antibodies to Covid-19 and other viruses within minutes, even before a patient shows symptoms.

A disposable pad, similar to a regular adhesive bandage, uses tiny gold nanoparticles to detect the presence of antibodies in the blood, according to researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi.

“Real-time screening for viral infections using tests such as band-aids can play an important role in preventing future outbreaks and epidemics through early detection,” said Mohamed Kasaime, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Bioengineering at New York University Abu Dhabi. .

To use the bandage, the person pierces the tip of their finger, then the bandage is applied to the tip of the finger.

The bandage detects the presence of immunoglobulin M, known as IgM, and immunoglobulin G, known as IgG, indicating the presence of viruses such as Covid-19.

Within minutes, the dot on the bandage changes color to red, indicating the presence of IgM or IgG antibodies in the bloodstream.

It also shows how active the COVID-19 infection is, so that, for example, an early immune response shows up as dots different from an active immune response.

The researchers behind the bandage, described in the journal Nature: Microsystems & Nanoengineering, believe the technology could be easily modified to detect other infectious diseases.

“Going forward, we will explore the potential of this technology to detect and screen for other emerging viral infections,” study co-author Mehmet Deliorman said. needles in a bandage, which allows you to effectively pierce the finger.

An inexpensive bandage can come in handy in rural areas where access to modern testing facilities is limited.

“In the future, if the widespread use of patch tests is combined with smart phone reading and dedicated mobile applications, it will open up opportunities for early detection of infected people, including those without symptoms, and by isolating these people,” Qasaimeh said. with timely treatment, their spread of the virus can be significantly reduced, preventing it from spreading to more people.”

Source: New York Post.