Researchers identify 6 proteins that are biomarkers for H1N1 virus

Mumbai researchers have identified six proteins in the nasal swab that could be biomarkers for H1N1 virus — or swine flu infection — that played havoc across India during the 2009 pandemic, revealed the preliminary results of a study. The study could lead to diagnostic techniques that can detect the disease at an early stage. Currently, swab samples of suspected swine flu or high-risk patients hospitalised with symptoms of breathlessness and co-morbidity are put through a Real Time RT-PCR diagnostic test. However, the test needs special infrastructure and sophisticated instruments, making it difficult for hospitals or small pathological laboratories to conduct the tests. The samples are therefore sent to specialised laboratories, which are practically non-existent in smaller towns. Now, scientists and doctors from Mumbai want to change the way swine flu is detected – by rapid identification through a non-invasive diagnostic tool. The preliminary findings assume significance since swine flu outbreaks post monsoon and...