Researchers at UT-Dallas have published a study on their work on a sensor designed to measure signs of a viral infection in samples of a person's sweat.
The sensor looks for two key biomarkers that doctors use to determine if an infection is present. The markers indicate two types of immune proteins that are produced in response to serious infections.
"Until this date, it was unclear whether these molecules were present in sweat," said Dr. Shalini Prasad, head of bioengineering and the Cecil H. and Ida Green Professor in Systems Biology Science. "We established that our low-volume passive sweat technology is indeed able to measure these biomarkers."
The sensors could potentially discover signs of COVID-19 or influenza, even before the patient started noticing symptoms. They would help doctors determine if someone has a viral infection or one caused by a bacteria. Diagnosticians would still need to conduct additional tests to determine exactly what type of virus was causing the infection.
The research team's next step will be to evaluate the sensor in clinical studies with patients experiencing respiratory infections.
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