Researchers Develop Compact Breathalyzer That Detects the Flu (digitaltrends.com)

Researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington have created a prototype breathalyzer-style device capable of detecting the influenza virus in its early stages -- before you start to show symptoms. "What I have created -- together with my research team and research collaborators working on this project -- is a single exhale, portable, handheld, potentially wireless, battery-operated, inexpensive, breathalyzer that relies on gas-selective sensing elements, and which detects the presence and monitors the concentration of biomarkers in breath that signal a disease," Perena Gouma, a professor in the university's Materials Science and Engineering Department, told Digital Trends. From the report: The specific biomarkers the breathalyzer looks for include traces of nitric oxide and ammonia, both of which can be measured using smart sensors. "This particular breathalyzer detects flu virus infection," she continued. "This is expected to be a personalized diagnostics tool available over the counter and it will allow the individuals to monitor their health, with the option of sharing the data obtained with their physician in real time." Gouma has previously developed other breathalyzers, for everything from asthma detection and diabetes monitoring to determining an endpoint for hemodialysis, the process of filtering waste products from the blood. The neat thing about breathalyzers, Gouma said, is that the technology involved can be easily modified to detect different diseases simply by changing the sensors. In this example, for instance, it could be upgraded to instead test for Ebola. As for when this technology may be available, Gouma said the team needs to carry out clinical trials, "but we are already exploring our options for commercializing this tool."

Comments

nope: cant eliminate the flu

[DrYak]

We've known what causes people to get sick (germs)

(...which is a gross over simplification. disease are caused by entirely different types of bugd: viruses, bacteria, funghi, protozoa, microscopic animals like worms, etc.)

for over a hundred years now. But it's amazing how many people still put their faith in things like health food diets.

Well, eating properly cooked food and drinking clean water can be proven to reduce some diseases

With proper detection and quarantine the flu could be eliminated from the human population almost entirely.

fat chance.

some diseases which are 100% human-targeting have indeed been eliminated (and you need to add vaccine on the list of things used against them).

but influenza affects tons of other animals (e.g: pigs) of which some are wild (e.g.: birds). And its going to be nearly impossible to control the spread of viral infections among (wild) migrating birds.

you can give specific anti virals to cases of Influenza detected early enough, you can quarantine to diminish transmission when sick (i.e. staying at home when sick.) but you can still have transmitted before starting to feel the symptoms), you can vaccinate to slow down its spread (hoping that the correct sub-type was predicted).

but you can't easily prevent animals carrying the influenza to pass it to human.

(well, in practice it's a tiny bit more complicated than just "passing". the different strains need to hybridize. but you got the general idea).