Novel Device Detects Malaria in Simple Blood Test

A diagnostic screening device, which separates malaria-infected red blood cells from uninfected red blood cells by way of magnetic levitation has been developed.

The prototype system requires less than a drop of finger-prick blood and a small volume of erythrocyte isotonic buffer containing paramagnetic ions and is lightweight, disposable, and inexpensive to manufacture.

Scientists at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC; Boston, MA, USA) used the principles of magnetic levitation and cell phone technology to create an inexpensive, portable device to diagnose malaria quickly and accurately outside of the routine laboratory setting. The device uses a set of permanent magnets immobilized in a plastic structure surrounding a glass or plastic capillary containing the blood. Results are visualized, recorded and stored using a standard camera phone and no additional imaging equipment or staining reagents are required.

Ionita Ghiran, MD, an investigator at BIDMC and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA, USA) has been awarded a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Seattle WA, USA), for the development of the device. Professor Ghiran said, "The lack of suitable methods of malaria diagnosis makes presumptive treatment often the only available option for local health service providers. This method helps fill the need for malarial diagnostic technologies capable of promptly and reliably ascertaining true malarial infections in the field. We hope that this will help prevent the over diagnosis of malaria and subsequent drug resistance."

An estimated 200 to 500 million cases of malaria occur each year with 50% to 90% of these in Africa. Malaria causes nearly one million deaths per year throughout developing countries, 85% of whom are children under the age of five, and parasites are becoming increasingly resistant to antimalarial drugs, in part due to misdiagnosis.

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Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Harvard Medical School
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation