We collected breath samples of patients affected by Hydatidosis, Leishmaniasis and Dengue, as well as from a group of control volunteers, in different hospitals from Colombia (Dengue and Controls), Tunisia (Hydatidosis, Leishmaniasis and Controls) and Poland (Hydatidosis and Controls).
We analysed the breath samples with an analytic equipment (QC-QTOF) that allows the identification of the compounds from the breath. By comparing the breath composition of the patients and of the control volunteers, we were able to identify the breath biomarkers of the diseases studied (the compounds that were statistically different between the patients and the controls):
- Dengue (Colombia): 6 breath biomarkers
- Leishmaniasis (Tunisia): 9 breath biomarkers
- Hydatidosis (Tunisia): 2 breath biomarkers
- Hydatidosis (Poland): 7 breath biomarkers
Based on these biomarkers identified by the analytical studies, we developed electronic nose devices based on organically-functionalized metal nanoparticles chemcial gas sensors, which achieved the following classification accuracy between patients and controls:
- Dengue (Colombia): 100%
- Leishmaniasis (Tunisia): 98.2%
- Hydatidosis (Tunisia): 100%
- Hydatidosis (Poland): 92.9%
A prototype was developed based on these results, and used for on-site validation tests in Poland. The results of these validation tests are currently carefully evaluated, and will constitute the basis for the further development of a reliable point-of-care prototype for the diagnosis of Dengue, Leishmaniasis and Hydatidosis.
The results obtained in this project led to the publication of 41 research articles and 2 book chapters, and participation at 91 international conferences and workshops. Moreover, five patent applications were submitted with the results derived from this Project.
