International team develops rapid test for hidden disease
A team of international scientists have developed a rapid test for chlamydia, the often 'invisible' sexually transmitted disease, which is the main cause of preventable blindness in new born babies in the developing world. The international team, based at Cambridge University in the UK, included two French, one Belgian, one Italian and four British researchers, and saw the combination of a range of disciplines, including chemistry, biology, engineering and material science from industry and academia. The test is both less expensive and simpler than current methods of diagnosis. Each test would cost less than 70 euro cents in developing countries, and is able to provide results in minutes. The 'Firstburst' dipstick test works by analysing either urine or a vaginal swab, and involves virtually no equipment. 'It's important to have a quick, simple to use test for chlamydia because seven out of ten women who contract the disease have no idea they have been infected. But once it has been diagnosed it is easily treated with a one off pill,' said Dr Helen Lee, who led the research. 'It's vital the test is instant and not expensive. If you're living in a country where you have to walk several hours or even a day to get to a clinic it's extremely unlikely you would bother to make the return trip a week later to get the result of the check-up,' she added. In addition to blindness in newborns, the disease is also responsible for infertility and ectopic pregnancies. The project was funded by the UK's Wellcome Trust (a biomedical research charity), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the US national institutes of health. The Wellcome Trust has also funded the establishment of a new company, based in the US, which will distribute the dipstick, initially in Africa and Asia.