Agencies/New Delhi
Indian researchers said yesterday they were close to developing an “electronic nose” to sniff out tuberculosis on the breath - offering rapid diagnosis that could save hundreds of thousands of lives. The “E-Nose” is a battery-operated, hand-held unit, similar to a police breathalyser used to catch drunk drivers. A patient blows into the device and sensors pick up TB biomarkers in the breath droplets, resulting in an almost instantaneous and highly accurate diagnosis. The “E-Nose” is a collaboration between the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in New Delhi and Next Dimension Technologies in California. “We hope to have a prototype ready for clinical testing by October 2013,” said lead researcher Ranjan Nanda. TB kills close to 1.7mn people globally every year, and researchers estimate the “E-Nose” could save 400,000 lives a year in developing countries through early diagnosis, treatment and reduced transmission. TB is currently detected through sputum tests that are costly and take several days. Yesterday, the project was awarded a $950,000 grant by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Grand Challenges Canada, a non-profit organisation working on health issues in the developing world. The Electronic Nose “is a bold idea with potentially big impact,” said Peter Singer, chief executive officer of Grand Challenges Canada. “Tuberculosis kills … and the weak link in the chain is diagnosis.”“The first phase of the grant will be used for collecting biomarkers from people, including TB patients from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. Sensors in the device will be trained to identify disease molecules,” Nanda said.The team in India has already finished biomarker sampling in Delhi and is likely to complete it in the other three cities by December 2012. “Our research shows it might also be possible to use this technology for the early detection of other diseases like lung cancer and pneumonia,” Nanda said. Scientists at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology have been testing an electronic nose to detect multiple sclerosis.Each “E-Nose” would cost roughly $20-30 and its size and battery operation would make it accessible to rural communities in countries such as India with poor or non-existent power supplies. According to the World Health Organisation, India leads the world in TB infections which kill close to 1,000 people every day. “Our goal is to make the Electronic Nose widely available in poor, remote areas where tuberculosis often breeds and spreads, devastating so many lives,” Nanda said. “Tuberculosis is a local problem,” Dr. Nanda said. “We need a better screening device.”Tuberculosis is a contagious bacterial infection that spreads through the air. If left untreated, each person with active TB will on average infect between 10 and 15 people every year, according to the WHO. “TB is right around the world and it does tend to be a disease of marginalised communities,” said Dr Singer of Grand Challenges Canada.