Now, Zika virus can be detected with the help of a smartphone clip-on 

We all blame the novel coronavirus for bringing unprecedented changes in our lives. But come to think of it, there are other viruses too, that have wreaked havoc in human lives. One of them is the Zika virus, the mosquito-borne infection having similar symptoms to that of malaria, dengue and chikungunya. Various estimates suggest that as many as 87 countries are currently affected with it, necessitating a global call to action.  

Keeping this in mind, a team of scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has invented a device which, when clipped to a smartphone, can rapidly test for Zika virus. It uses a single droplet of blood for the detection. The researchers are hopeful that this brand-new innovation will help detect the virus quicker and allow doctors to take necessary measures without delay. The new research titled "Smartphone clip-on instrument and microfluidic processor for rapid sample-to-answer detection of Zika virus in whole blood using spatial RT-LAMP" has been published in the scientific journal Analyst. Here’s more about this interesting technology. 

How does the instrument detect Zika virus? 
Zika virus is detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, a complicated method performed inside a laboratory by trained professionals. But now, thanks to this brand-new innovation, patients or their families can themselves detect the virus from the comfort of their homes with the help of a smartphone clip-on instrument. The patient just needs to add a drop of blood to the device. 

 In the current remote method, a procedure called Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) is being employed that can easily detect Zika virus from a given blood sample. Let’s tell you how the device spots the virus. It comes with a cartridge containing the chemical agents needed to detect the Zika virus. Almost immediately after the blood is added to the device, one set of chemicals from the cartridge starts doing its job, explores the blood cells and locates viruses, if any. Following this, the in-built heater of the cartridge heats up the genetic materials of the viruses to a temperature of 65°C. Thereafter, a new set of chemicals amplifies these genetic materials. If the blood sample is infected with the Zika virus, the fluid inside the cartridge turns green, signalling that the patient is positive. The whole process doesn't take more than 25 minutes. Interestingly, the clip-on instrument is designed in such a way that the rear camera of the smartphone faces the cartridge when the amplification occurs. So, the fluorescent green light appears on the phone seconds before it comes up on the cartridge.  

PCR vs. LAMP 
Well, there’s no doubt that PCR is accurate and rapid. But it needs trained professionals which is not the case with the brand-new technology called LAMP. In addition, the lab-based PCR tests are sensitive to contaminants, which is why the blood sample needs to be purified. However, LAMP needs no such purification, making it a lot more convenient. While PCR necessitates 20 to 40 repeated temperature changes to amplify the genetic materials of the viruses, LAMP only needs a single temperature of 65°C. This is what makes the process easier.