Nanobubbles help fight Malaria

Malaria is one of the abhorred diseases in the world. Half of the word's population inhabits lands where they are susceptible to the disease, and over 200 million people are diagnosed with it each year. 600 000 Africans die of it each year. In the last decade, malaria has become less lethal due to artemisnins.

Nanotechnology is pitching in to fighting the disease by trailblazing the way for a highly accurate and precise device that can detect minute traces of malaria. More importantly, it does it notably simply.

Sketch of the device and how it works. (Transdermal - through the skin)

Current methods for detection require a blood smear and several qualified doctors and microscopes. This is expensive, and is often unavailable in third-world countries. This system works by sending a lower power laser pulse onto the skin. The pulse goes through the skin, and does not affect healthy cells. However, if the pulse encounters an infected cell, the pulse makes the hemozoin (which is released by malaria into the infected cell) create nanobubbles. When the bubbles pop, the unique acoustic signal is picked up, thus indicating malaria.

It is a simple technique, that requires no professionals, and is becoming available in a hand-held, battery-powered device that will allow the diagnosis to cost less than 50cents.
This research is being done at Rice university.

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