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

Shades of Theranos

[gurps_npc]

Until they have a peer reviewed article, this is just vaporware almost identical to the product claimed by failed Theranos.

Re:Shades of Theranos

[thesupraman]

Yes, this smells, quite literally.
There are a limited number of 'biomarkers' you will pick up in breath, and the ones they list are pretty generic (ammonia, nitric oxide).
The chances of there only being a single cause of the particular ratios they will trigger on, or there being a single set of
ratios across a population are a round number, integer, between -1 and 1..

While I can well imagine people suffering a flu do have elevated levels of certain organics in their breath, I would imagine that without
a detailed and updated baseline for a particular patient you wont have a hope in hell of being that specific, and there will be a pile
of other causes, for example just the common cold, which shared a LOT of early symptoms.

So yes, this smells of a 'hey, our 4 test cases look good, lets cash in!' type news.

Re: detection not prevention

[NotInHere]

The main problem with antibiotics is not careless human use, its the often just precautionary antibiotics that's being applied to livestock. This is the biggest place where antibiotics are applied. To make it worse, they are also often applied in too low doses. This provides a breeding ground for resistant bacteria. I'm no vegetarian or anything, but I think this is definitely wrong.