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A team of local researchers has developed a DNA technique that could make malaria diagnosis cheaper and more convenient.
Unlike traditional diagnostic kits that use antibodies, the new technique's use of DNA makes it less heat sensitive, meaning kits could be taken into the middle of a forest and used there.
A new diagnostic kit that uses this DNA technique is expected to be developed in the next few years.
"It is very stable and has an extended shelf life," said Masayo Kotaka, a research assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong's physiology department who took part in the study.
"You can take it out in the field instead of having to take people to a hospital for diagnosis. You can test them there and then."
The team identified the piece of DNA that can bind to a protein released by the malaria parasite, allowing the protein to be detected in malaria patients' blood.
This special kind of DNA - called an aptamer - binds to specific target molecules.
Researchers in various countries are working on using aptamers to diagnose and treat infections, and even diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Man-made DNA can be chemically synthesised, and is therefore cheaper to produce than antibodies, which require biological components such as bacteria or mammalian cells.
Antibody diagnosis tests have been effective in diagnosing malaria, but they have a low tolerance for heat.
"If you are not careful in storage, they can be degraded easily under heat, and you won't know it until you use them," said oral biosciences assistant professor Rory Watt, who was also part of the team.
Some traditional test kits have to be refrigerated, which makes their use difficult in many developing countries where malaria is commonly found, said another HKU researcher, assistant professor of biochemistry Julian Tanner.
The team's next step is to develop a malaria diagnosis test based on the DNA technique, which Tanner expects will help in developing aptamer diagnosis tests for other diseases. It took the team, led by Dr Cheung Yee-wai, four years to complete the study. It was published in US journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday.
They made billions of DNA pieces to see which among them would bind to the protein of the malaria parasite.
When they found the one they had been seeking, they took an X-ray to see how the binding took place, as it could not be seen even under a microscope.
Most malaria victims are children under the age of five in Africa. According to the latest World Health Organisation estimates, there were about 219 million cases of malaria in 2010 and 660,000 deaths.
 


HKU team discovers DNA technique to detect malaria

Most malaria victims are children under the age of five in Africa. According to the latest World Health Organisation estimates, there were about 219 million cases of malaria in 2010 and 660,000 deaths. Photo: Reuters

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Hong Kong

New DNA technique will allow people to test for the mosquito-borne disease anywhere, instead of having to visit a hospital, researchers say


A team of local researchers has developed a DNA technique that could make malaria diagnosis cheaper and more convenient. Unlike traditional diagnostic kits that use antibodies, the new technique's use of DNA makes it less heat sensitive, meaning kits could be taken into the middle of a forest and used there.


HKU team discovers DNA technique to detect malaria

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New DNA technique will allow people to test for the mosquito-borne disease anywhere, instead of having to visit a hospital, researchers say

New DNA technique will allow people to test for the mosquito-borne disease anywhere, instead of having to visit a hospital, researchers say