Rapid Zika detection test uses smartphone technology

The Zika virus, which continues to cause microcephaly and other neurological complications in infants whose mothers were infected during pregnancy, remains a public health concern. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital are working to develop a new way to rapidly and accurately diagnose Zika using mobile health technologies that could potentially be deployed in resource-limited settings. The researchers also envision that the tool could provide home testing for couples who are trying to conceive, particularly in locations with high risk of infection. In the June issue of ACS Nano, researchers describe a new technology that leverages advances in digital health systems and nanotechnology to transform a smartphone into a device capable of detecting Zika.