Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Facebook Instagram Threads
    Global BiodefenseGlobal Biodefense
    Subscribe
    • Featured News
    • Funding
    • Directory
    • Jobs
    • Events
    Global BiodefenseGlobal Biodefense
    Biodetection

    MERS Detection by Airport Scanners Still Years Away

    By Global Biodefense StaffJune 10, 2014
    Share
    Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Email

    The effective detection of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) virus will not become a reality for several years and requires the collaborative efforts of many arms of science working towards a singular purpose, says an analyst with research and consulting firm GlobalData.

    Andrew S. Thompson, Ph.D., GlobalData’s Senior Analyst covering In vitro Diagnostics, states that flawed equipment, the lack of technology for accurately detecting viral particles in breath and the narrow window of MERS sufferers for shedding viral particles are the most significant obstacles to successful airport scanning for MERS.

    “The ineffectiveness of infra-red thermal imaging for detecting infected passengers at airports has been well documented. While scanners have been reasonably successful at identifying feverish symptoms, they perform poorly in attempts to specifically identify passengers with influenza,” said Thompson. “It has also been reported that the use of common medications, such as aspirin, can reduce a patient’s fever and allow them to evade the scanner.”

    However, the analyst states that despite the shortage of available technologies, there are some prospects on the horizon.

    “A promising approach is through the use of silicone nanowires, where a protein or DNA biomarker is detected electronically, rather than through optical means. Such extremely sensitive techniques, when combined with a suitable means to collect the breath of passengers, could provide a more targeted method to detect recently infected carriers of the MERS virus,” explains Thompson.

    However, even if silicone nanowires were introduced, there would remain the issue of passengers exhaling a particle that can be linked directly to the pathogen, such as viral particles. So far, tests have shown that the window for viral particle shedding in patients infected by MERS is frustratingly narrow.

    Thompson concludes: “The incomplete understanding of respiratory virus infectiousness, aligned with the manifold limitations of scanning technology, means that the real-world identification of pathogens has seen little progress since the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002.”

    Biomarkers Emerging Threats
    Share. Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleUnmasking Viral Invaders with Mass Spec
    Next Article Advances in Microbial Forensics Needed for BioPreparedness

    Related Stories

    New Method Improves Quantification of Ricin in Complex Matrices

    September 20, 2023

    Biomarkers for Detection of Exposure to Nitrogen Mustards

    September 20, 2023

    The Basics on the Nipah Virus Outbreak in India

    September 19, 2023

    Mass Spec for Rapid Detection of Biological Warfare Agents

    September 15, 2023
    News Scan

    Biodefense Headlines – 19 September 2023

    News Scan September 19, 2023

    News highlights on health security threats and countermeasures curated by Global Biodefense This week’s selections include a global survey of gain-of-function research; funding of an mRNA mpox vaccine; Nipah virus outbreak in India; field detection of threat agents with acoustic…

    Upcoming Events

    Oct 3
    Virtual Event Virtual Event
    October 3 - October 5

    OneLab Summit 2023

    Oct 3
    Virtual Event Virtual Event
    12:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT

    Public-Private Partnerships to Distribute, Dispense, and Administer Medical Countermeasures

    Oct 4
    Virtual Event Virtual Event
    10:00 am - 2:00 pm EDT

    Tunneling Nanotubes and Intracellular Protrusions Workshop

    Oct 12
    Virtual Event Virtual Event
    12:00 pm - 2:00 pm EDT

    Public-Private Partnerships for Acceptance and Uptake of Medical Countermeasures

    View Calendar

    Subscribe to Global Biodefense

    Get the latest news on pathogens and preparedness

    © 2023 Stemar Media Group LLC
    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy
    • Subscribe

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are okay with it.OkPrivacy policy