Research
Lighting up heart disease without antibodies: Researchers design low-cost blood test for resource-poor clinics
The Brief
- Researchers designed a low-cost blood test for rheumatic heart disease (RHD) intended for resource-poor clinics.
- The test is designed to avoid reliance on antibodies, according to the headline.
- RHD is described as claiming hundreds of thousands of lives each year, mainly in low- and middle-income countries.
Why it matters
Diagnosing RHD usually requires specialized ultrasound equipment and refrigerated testing labs, which are scarce where the disease is most common; a cheap, simpler blood test could widen access to screening.
Who’s affected
- clinicians and public health workers in low- and middle-income countries
- children and young adults at risk of rheumatic heart disease
- global health program planners
- #rheumatic heart disease
- #diagnostics
- #blood test
- #global health
- #low-cost medicine
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year, devastating children and young adults in low- and middle-income countries where access to specialized ultrasound equipment and refrigerated testing labs is virtually nonexistent. Inexpensive penicillin…
Timeline
Medical Xpress reported on researchers designing a low-cost blood test for resource-poor clinics
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Lighting up heart disease without antibodies: Researchers design low-cost blood test for resource-poor clinics