Sensory devices thinner than human
hair could soon pave the way for faster and more accurate
medical diagnostic tests. Scientists from Yale University,
us, recently created nanowire sensors that can detect
changes in immune cells. When immune cells sense the
presence of a bacteria or a virus, they get activated
and produce an acid. The acid, in turn, generates a
tiny current in the nanowire electronics, signalling
the presence of that particular agent of disease, or
pathogen. Earlier, the nanowires could detect only a
generalized activation of the immune cells. The latest
breakthrough, however, not only helped them detect the
activation but also pinpoint the specific strain of
bacteria or virus that has attacked the patient, said
the scientists. For example, it can now help determine
which strain of flu virus or tuberculosis bacterium
has infected the patient.
