The study, published in the journal Analytica Chimica Acta, tested the detection process on subjects who contracted respiratory viruses.
According to the paper, when a patient contracts an illness, his or her body releases chemical markers into the bloodstream. In the case of a host combating respiratory pathogens, these markers contain an active gene called RSAD2.
The silver nanoparticles developed by the Duke team bind to RSAD2 using a genetic probe that will only bind to that particular gene. If a patient is infected, the nanoparticles will bind to their specific gene targets, detecting the presence of the pathogen even before the patient shows any symptoms of illness.
The resulting bound nanoparticles are identifiable through light scattering patterns, which are unique to the particular molecule, much like a fingerprint. To check for bound nanoparticles, researchers shined a laser on the blood samples and looked for the signature light pattern.
This light scatter is present without the silver nanoparticle, but with the nanoparticle the signal is more than a million times stronger, which makes it much easier to detect.
The success of this genetic infection detection process is an important proof-of-concept; with more research it may be expanded to detect many types of infection with the goal of increasing the precision and effectiveness of antimicrobial therapy, according to the journal article.
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