Device Could Revolutionize Bird Flu Detection

According to this article, in March 2007, researchers, scientists and manufacturers from 13 countries gathered to discuss the development of small mobile testing devices that could help to detect and diagnose diseases such as avian influenza. The meeting was part of a coordinated research project by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Programme’s Animal Production and Health Section.

According to the article, the mobile testers will increase the chances of containing an avian flu outbreak by saving time in identifying the source of outbreaks. The devices are designed to be user-friendly so that people in their own countries will be able to do tests locally. For example, the mobile testers will allow farmers to quickly test for diseases in farm animals by sending the results via mobile phone message to a main control centre for processing.

The mobile testers are the size of a small portable television, and work is in progress to reduce the device to the size of a pen.