Lateral flow test could save people from deadly fungal infection
A new test which creators say could one day save the lives of people suffering from a deadly fungal infection is being developed at the University of Exeter.Mucormycosis, commonly known as black fungus disease, spiked during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Now, Professor Chris Thornton, a professor in fungal immunology at the university, has developed a prototype lateral flow test, which could save valuable time in getting patients the treatment they need.The test has been validated using patient samples could be ready to use in hospitals within three years if it passes regulatory checks, project leaders said.
The fugal spores that cause black fungus disease are ever-present in the environment and harmless for most people. The disease is rare and thought to only affect those with compromised immunity. However, a combination of Covid infection, poorly-managed diabetes and an over-use of steroids to control lung inflammation from Covid led to a spike in infections. In 2021, there was an epidemic in India, with 40,000 cases leading to 3,500 deaths. Many of the survivors were left with facial disfigurements.Although still at prototype stage, a new study published in the Journal of Clinical Microbiology has shown the new test to be swift and accurate in identifying the disease.
Professor Thornton, co-author of the study, said: "Mucormycosis is an horrific disease, which spreads rapidly in the body and can leave people horribly facially disfigured, and is often fatal.""Early diagnosis is crucial for the best outcome. This study shows that our new test is quick and effective. "These exciting results are a critical milestone in the development and validation of the test, which we aim to commercialise in the next three years."
The study was conducted in partnership with colleagues at Besançon University hospital in France. Researchers tested the device in patients with mucormycosis, patients with other fungal infections, and patients without fungal infections. The test detects mucormycosis in 30 minutes with a high level of specificity and sensitivity.
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The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
The Covid ‘lab leak' theory isn't just a rightwing conspiracy – pretending that's the case is bad for science
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In many parts of the world, including the US, France and Germany, public opinion is increasingly shifting towards lab-leak theories, despite the lack of definitive evidence. In other words, a growing number of people believe that research-associated activities are just as likely, if not more so, to have caused the pandemic. A new documentary by the Swiss film-maker Christian Frei, titled Blame: Bats, Politics and a Planet Out of Balance, places the blame for this divide squarely on the so-called 'rightwing fever swamp', including the likes of Steve Bannon and Fox News. According to Frei, it promotes misinformation and conspiracy theories about the origins of Covid-19 for political gain, thereby confusing and misleading the public. As a participant in the film and a journalist who has spent the past five years writing a book on the origins of emerging diseases, I must respectfully disagree. 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Far from a rightwing fever swamp, these scholars have lent scientific legitimacy to the debate. They are not convinced that the studies published in leading scientific journals supporting natural-origins theories are as compelling as the authors have claimed. Plus the studies are based on limited data as a result of China's lack of transparency and limited political will to investigate, making significant uncertainties unavoidable. Few people would claim with absolute certainty to know how the pandemic began. Both sides are gathering evidence to support their case, yet neither can fully rule out the possibility put forward by the other. This lack of clarity is not unlike what we see with most emerging diseases. For instance, we still don't know how the devastating Ebola outbreak in west Africa began in 2014. The core issue behind the Covid-19 origins controversy is fundamentally a crisis of trust rather than a mere information problem. It reflects longstanding public anxieties over virus research. Strong emotions such as fear and distrust play a crucial role in human cognition. Simply presenting more facts doesn't always lead to a converging of opinions – and can sometimes even widen the divide. Indeed, the storm of public distrust in virus research had been gathering long before the pandemic. In 2011, two research teams sparked public outcry by announcing the creation of more transmissible variants of H5N1 (bird flu). This led to a pause in US federal funding for research that makes viruses more transmissible or virulent, known as gain-of-function studies, and the establishment of a new regulatory framework. However, a profound sense of unease persisted, driven by the perception that virologists, funding agencies and research institutions had failed to sufficiently address public concerns and anxieties, coupled with a lack of transparency and inclusiveness in decision-making. 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Such errors of judgment and inappropriate behaviour, not uncommon among scientists and not limited to the Covid-19 origins debate, can affect how the public perceives scientists and the trustworthiness of their claims, and how people interpret evidence. As the social scientist Benjamin Hurlbut of Arizona State University puts it: the problem isn't an anti-science public, but rather a scientific community that labels a sceptical public grappling with legitimate trust issues as anti-science or conspiracy theorists. A recent Science editorial states that 'scientists should better explain the scientific process and what makes it so trustworthy'. This reflects the persistent influence of the traditional 'deficit model' of science communication, which assumes that trust can be built by providing mere information. But the public's relationship with science goes beyond understanding facts or methods. Trust cannot be manufactured on demand. 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BBC News
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- BBC News
Shubhanshu Shukla: India celebrates return to space after 41 years on Axiom-4
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The Independent
3 hours ago
- The Independent
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