New test flags presence of virus in four hours

A PRICK of the finger will now be enough to diagnose dengue, thanks to a new viral diagnostic test developed by researchers from A*Star's Institute of Microelectronics (IME).

The test flags the presence of the dengue virus and differentiates it from four different sero-types with the amount of blood derived from a finger-prick test.

It takes less than four hours to get a result after the sample is taken. Existing dengue viral diagnostic tests can take up to a day to show results.

The new test will reduce reliance on labour-intensive, time-consuming laboratory tests carried out by skilled personnel. Its simplicity and speed make it suitable for deployment at clinics, hospitals and airports.

To develop the test, the IME team worked closely with Ooi Eng Eong of Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, a doctor with more than 10 years of research experience in infectious diseases.

"I believe the dengue diagnostic is only a starting point for the team at IME," said Prof Ooi. The technology could potentially assess other pathogens that have created health scares locally and worldwide, he added.

These include chikungunya, as well as the viruses responsible for avian flu, swine flu and severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars).

IME's senior research engineer Kang Tae Goo said: "We are looking for industry partners to jointly develop the prototype and at the same time work with clinicians to further carry out studies on blood samples from dengue-infected patients."

A total of 7,031 dengue cases and 10 dengue-related deaths were reported in Singapore in 2008.