New test for malaria diagnosis

Danish researchers have developed a new test to diagnose malaria infections very quickly and with high sensitivity. The method is based on measuring the activity of an enzyme called topoisomerase I from the Plasmodium parasite that causes the disease.

The researchers from Aarhus University have developed a technology called Rolling Circle-Enhanced Enzyme Activity Detection (REEAD), which allows the diagnosis of malaria from a single drop of blood or saliva. The method is much more time-effective and cost-effective than current methods of diagnosis, and can be performed by personnel without specialized training. Thus, it has the potential to be used in low-resource areas without expensive equipment, clean water, or electricity.