New equipment quickly detects avian influenza

US scientists announced on May 29 that they have successfully built a new device that can quickly detect 92 different viruses, including the H5N1 avian influenza virus and new emerging viruses.

So far the H5N1 virus has killed 186 people out of 307 infected people (Photo: TTO)

According to researchers, large hospitals can also equip the device - called T5000, made by Isis pharmaceutical company and US military researchers.

According to Isis, T5000 only takes 4 hours to accurately identify the virus strains. The device has been scientifically researched by the Marine Medical Research Center in Cairo (Egypt), the US Army Center for Infection Research in Ft. Detrick (Maryland) and Johns Hopkins University scientists in Baltimore and many other groups tested and confirmed its effectiveness: it correctly identified 97% of viral strains in 656 flu-infected people who provided samples in period from 1999 to 2006.

The T5000 costs about $ 400,000-500,000, so only large hospitals or governments can invest in buying machines. However, large hospitals can save a lot of money if equipped with T5000 to monitor drug-resistant infections, because of difficult-to-control infections and expensive treatment costs.

WALL VY