Quick and simple dipstick flu test using sugar labelled with gold

Quick diagnosis of flu is important because vaccination and antiviral drugs need to be administered to patients within 48 hours of infection to prevent new pandemics arising.

Professor Field explains that 90% of human infections use carbohydrate recognition to bind with targets in the body. The sensor is a suspension of sugars tagged with gold particles. If the flu virus is present, it will attach to a sugar, pulling particles closer together. Human and avian flu have a preference for different sugar chains resulting in a colour change visible to the naked eye. 

Read more: 
12 December 2013 - Flu sends scientists dipping for gold 

Source: BBSRC
Image credits: Norwich Research Park

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