Click it and Unblock the Notifications
Latest Updates
-
7 Foods That May Boost Sperm Count in 90 Days, According to a Fertility Specialist -
10 Monsoon Diseases To Watch Out For And How To Prevent Them -
Rapper Santy Sharma’s YouTube Channel Deleted After Viral Remarks: What We Know -
Every Diet Works Until It Doesn't: Here's What Your Doctor Isn't Telling You About Long-Term Weight Loss -
Is Diabetes Only An "Old Age Disease"? What Young Indians Must Know -
FIFA World Cup 2026 Final: Spain's Golden Night, Mbappé's Record Boot, and Messi's Last Dance -
Naseeruddin Shah Birthday Special: How He Became the Face of Indian Parallel Cinema -
Arunima Sinha Birthday Special: The Woman Who Lost A Leg And Went On To Conquer Everest -
Alia Bhatt's Ethnic Outfits Stole Every Spotlight At Best Friend Akansha Ranjan Kapoor's Wedding Celebrations -
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2026: 10 Iconic Odia Delicacies Every Visitor Must Try In Puri
Antibody-Based Test May Differentiate Zika From Other Infections
Scientists have developed a new antibody-based test that can help differentiate Zika virus infections from infections caused by similar viruses such as dengue and West Nile.
Scientists have developed a new antibody-based test that can help differentiate Zika virus infections from infections caused by similar viruses such as dengue and West Nile.
Zika is a mosquito-borne disease and is linked to severe congenital birth defects.
The new antibody-based test, developed by researchers at the University of California - Berkeley and biotechnology company Humabs BioMed, has very high sensitivity (91.8 per cent) and specificity (95.9 per cent) for identifying Zika virus infections.
"The whole world has been in urgent need of a serological method to distinguish dengue virus from Zika virus infections, and this (is) the first to have such high sensitivity and specificity in dengue-endemic regions," said Eva Harris, Professor at UC-B.
To develop the test, Humabs generated a new human antibody to the Zika virus.
The researchers then implemented the test on samples from Zika patients, with or without prior exposure to dengue virus, and samples from dengue patients infected either once or more than once with different types of the dengue virus.
The data, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that the test was highly sensitive, specific and robust.
"These results support that the antibody-based assay that we have developed is highly effective in detecting both recent and past Zika virus infections and in discriminating Zika from other flavivirus infections," said Davide Corti, senior Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer from Humabs BioMed.
"This novel test has the potential to become an effective, simple and low-cost solution for Zika surveillance programs, prevalence studies and clinical intervention trials in flavivirus-endemic areas," Corti added.
Inputs From IANS
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Continue with Google