Japan researchers use ostrich cells to make glowing COVID-19 detection masks
Japan researchers use ostrich cells to make glowing COVID-19 detection masks
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese researchers have developed masks that use ostrich antibodies to detect COVID-19 by glowing under ultraviolet light.
The discovery by Yasuhiro Tsukamoto and his team at Kyoto Prefectural University in western Japan could provide for low-cost testing of the virus at home, they said in a press release.
The scientists started by creating a mask filter coated with ostrich antibodies targeting the novel coronavirus, based on previous research showing the birds have strong resistance to disease.
In a small study, test subjects wore the masks, and after eight hours, the filters were removed and sprayed with a chemical that glows under ultraviolet light if the virus is present. The filters worn by people infected with COVID-19 glowed around the nose and mouth areas.
The team hopes to further develop the masks so that they will glow automatically, without special lighting, if the virus is detected.
Tsukamoto, a veterinary professor and the president of the university, has studied ostriches for years, looking for ways to adapt their immunity power to fight bird flu, allergies, and other diseases.
