Ebola immunity detector has been developed, scientists reveal

A prototype device for gauging patients' immunity to Ebola has been developed by a multi-institutional team of experts led by Imperial College London. The device, which was developed in collaboration with UCL , works in a similar way to a pregnancy test. However instead of detecting hormones, it looks for an antibody called Immunoglobulin G (IgG), which is released following exposure to certain viruses. We see great potential in this approach to help combat future Ebola outbreaks. Professor Molly Stevens Deputy Director of i-sense So far the biosensor has undergone a pilot trial under laboratory conditions, as well as in Uganda , where it was used to analyse blood serum from survivors previously exposed to the Ebola virus. In the trial the test was able to detect IgG antibodies from samples in around 15 minutes, compared to around five hours using conventional lab-based equipment. The device is portable and connected to a smartphone so that the user can see the results on-screen, in the field.