Let us not get too excited, many things sound good until we look more closely. However, this does sound interesting.
[ June 4, 2015 ]
Your Viral Infection History from a Single Drop of Blood
Summary
New technology developed by HHMI researchers makes it possible to test for current and past infections with any known human virus by analyzing a single drop of blood.
Highlights
With VirScan, scientists can run a single test to determine which viruses have infected an individual.
VirScan works by screening the blood for antibodies against any of more than 200 species of viruses known to infect humans.
The comprehensive analysis can be performed for about $25 per blood sample.
New technology developed by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers makes it possible to test for current and past infections with any known human virus by analyzing a single drop of a person's blood. The method, called VirScan, is an efficient alternative to existing diagnostics that test for specific viruses one at a time.
With VirScan, scientists can run a single test to determine which viruses have infected an individual, rather than limiting their analysis to particular viruses. That unbiased approach could uncover unexpected factors affecting individual patients' health, and also expands opportunities to analyze and compare viral infections in large populations. The comprehensive analysis can be performed for about $25 per blood sample.
.
.
.
Elledge says the approach his team has developed is not limited to antiviral antibodies. His own lab is also using it to look for antibodies that attack a body's own tissue in certain autoimmune diseases that are associated with cancer. A similar approach could also be used to screen for antibodies against other types of pathogens.
More here: