研究人員找到診斷寨卡病毒感染的快捷低成本方法大綱

A team of researchers based at Harvard University say they have developed a testing method that could quickly diagnose Zika virus, and do so basically anywhere in the world.

The Zika outbreak first hit the Western Hemisphere a year. Some 57 countries and territories are now reporting cases of people being infected, most by mosquitos that can carry the Zika virus. Several countries also have reported cases that appear to have spread through sexual contact.

Building on work they did to develop a screening method for Ebola, the researchers led by synthetic biologist James Collins came up with a way to screen blood, urine or saliva for Zika virus.

In a paper published in the journal Cell, they said their method uses paper cards about the size of a human hand. If Zika is present, the card changes color. The testing can produce a result in as little as 30 minutes with the change in color easily visible to the naked eye. An even faster result can be achieved by placing the card in a special reader, the researchers say.哈佛大學的一個科研小組說，他們成功研製出了一種快速確診寨卡病毒感染的方法，而這種方法在世界各地都可以使用。

一年前，西半球首先爆發寨卡病毒感染疫情，目前已有57個國家和地區發現寨卡病毒感染病例，其中大多數是被攜帶寨卡病毒的蚊子叮咬而受到感染，還有幾個國家發現了由性接觸感染寨卡病毒的病例。

哈佛科研小組曾研究出診斷埃博拉病毒感染的方法。在合成生物學家科林斯的帶領下，該小組以這種方法爲基礎，找到通過檢驗血液、尿液或唾液診斷寨卡病毒感染的方法。

他們在《細胞》期刊上發表論文說，這種診斷方法使用一張人手大小的試紙，如果接受檢測的體液中攜帶寨卡病毒，試紙會改變顏色，30分鐘就可以得出人眼可以觀察出的結果。研究人員說，如果使用特別檢測儀觀察試紙，時間還可以更短。