Epidemiology is a science with delay. We know it well, We learned it in the worst way: Since a pathogen begins to move through a region until we collect, analyze and interpret the data that allows us to say that an epidemic is incipient, weeks spend. A few weeks that would be vital to introduce measures capable of reducing their impact and saving many lives.
What happens is that, until now, that has been a chimera: bacteria and suspension viruses They are invisible. Although there are initiatives such as analyzing fecal waters, the idea of seeing how pathogens move around the world seems almost science fiction.
An increasingly close science fiction, yes.
A curious idea. Now, a joint team of the University of Valencia (UV) and the University University of València (UPV) They have developed The first example of a biosensor capable of detecting air changes quickly, easily and cheaply. The small antenna works without additional reagents, or laboratory tests: only small electrical circuits. That is the interesting thing.
Valencian researchers have tried the concept with the M13 virus, a well -known microorganism, but the results are promising and extrapolable to any other aerial transmission pathogen.
The two key factors. As explained David Giménez (professor of the Department of Chemistry-Physics of the UV) in Levante, are “its price” that “facilitates its scalability and integration into early alert systems, both in Smart Buildings as in devices Weareables“And its” immediacy “because” by not needing additional reagents, this method allows you to instantly detect the presence of real -time pathogens, avoiding long sampling and laboratory analysis processes. “
And now what? Now a lot of work to do. It is true that a network of this type of sensors that were able to monitor in real time the air of train stations, wagons, schools, shopping centers or jobs would give us vital information. The problem is that, of course, there is still much to reach that point.
Maybe more than we would like. Do not forget that, between 1980 and 2010, the annual number of infectious disease outbreaks He tripled worldwide and causative diseases almost folded. In addition, none of the “public health emergencies of international importance” (with the nuanced exception of COVID-19) that we have suffered since 2007 was caused by a new and unknown infectious agent.
We live in the “Pandemics era“And everything suggests that we are not prepared for it. Of course, the good news is that, despite the increase in the total number of outbreaks,” global improvements in prevention, early detection, control and treatment are increasingly effective. “
And this of Valencia is a good example of this. Or it is better for us because we have the enemy at the doors.
Image | Jon Tyson
Image | The ‘era of epidemics’ has already begun: are we prepared to face them?
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