A low cost blood test that can detect Vitamin A and Iron deficiency in just 15 minutes, has been developed.
Vitamin A and Iron deficiency affect more than one-third of the world’s population. Problems resulting from these deficiencies -such as blindness, anaemia, and death particularly among children and women -are a major public health challenge.
The newly developed small portable diagnostic system about the size of a lunch box contains a blood sample test strip,like those used by diabetics.Researchers found a way to include on these strips three types of antibodies which bind to specific biomarkers in the individual’s serum. The strip measures concentration of retinol binding protein (important for eye-sight)C-reactive protein(An infection indicator) and the protein to find anaemia.
-Deccan Herald-