Smartphone Microscope Detects Parasites in Blood
A team of engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a smartphone microscope called CellScope that can detect parasites in blood samples in just minutes. This breakthrough could revolutionize the diagnosis of neglected tropical diseases such as onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, which affect millions of people in developing countries.
How CellScope Works
CellScope is a small, portable device that attaches to a smartphone. It uses a combination of LED lights, microcontrollers, and a USB port to process blood samples. The phone’s camera then takes a series of videos of the blood sample, which are analyzed by an algorithm to detect the movement of parasites.
Unlike traditional Loa loa diagnosis, which requires a lab and a trained technician, CellScope can be used by anyone, anywhere. This is especially important in rural areas where access to conventional medical care is limited.
Benefits of CellScope
CellScope offers several benefits over traditional diagnostic methods:
- Fast: CellScope can provide results in less than 3 minutes, compared to days for traditional methods.
- Accurate: CellScope’s algorithm is highly accurate at detecting parasites, even in low concentrations.
- Portable: CellScope is small and lightweight, making it easy to transport to remote areas.
- Affordable: CellScope is relatively inexpensive to produce, making it accessible to communities with limited resources.
Applications of CellScope
CellScope has the potential to be used for a variety of applications, including:
- Diagnosing neglected tropical diseases: CellScope can be used to diagnose onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, and other neglected tropical diseases that are transmitted by parasites.
- Detecting Loa loa infection: CellScope can detect Loa loa infection, which can be fatal if treated with ivermectin, a drug used to treat onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis.
- Diagnosing non-parasitic diseases: CellScope could also be used to diagnose non-parasitic diseases, such as tuberculosis, in areas where traditional microscopes are scarce.
Future of CellScope
The developers of CellScope hope to expand its use to diagnose other diseases and to make it even more affordable and accessible. They are also working on developing a version of CellScope that can be used to diagnose diseases in animals.
CellScope has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis of infectious diseases in developing countries. Its speed, accuracy, portability, and affordability make it an ideal tool for improving global health.