As the University of Würzburg announced, the team, led by Würzburg Professor of Pharmacy Lorenz Meinel, has now published the fundamentals of this new self-diagnostic method in a scientific journal.
According to the university, the new influenza rapid test could significantly simplify flu diagnostics in the future. Anyone could perform the test anytime and anywhere, for instance, with a piece of chewing gum. In the saliva of an infected person, the gum reacts to the flu viruses and releases a flavoring agent. A lollipop could also be used for the same purpose.
This would allow infected individuals to detect an infection within minutes—without a laboratory or medical personnel. “This strategy opens up new possibilities for the early detection and containment of influenza worldwide,” says Lorenz Meinel, who heads the Chair of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmacy at the University of Würzburg.
The test works using the sensor molecule thymol, a natural substance found in thyme, among other sources. This is combined with a virus-specific sugar component. When the test comes into contact with active flu viruses, the thymol is released, producing a clearly recognizable taste in the mouth.
The testing principle is flexible: both the flavor carrier and the recognition component can be adapted. For example, the rapid test can be equipped with sweet, bitter, or salty flavors, making it suitable for children as well. According to the university, this new diagnostic tool can also be adapted to detect other pathogens.
The research team is now working on integrating the sensors into chewing gums or lollipops and making the diagnostic system suitable for mass production. They are cooperating with the startup FlareOn Biotech GmbH from Frickenhausen. The development process is expected to take approximately four years.
Afterward, the rapid tests could be deployed primarily in schools, kindergartens, or nursing homes. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has provided financial support for the test’s development.
According to the University of Würzburg, influenza is one of the world’s most dangerous infectious diseases, claiming about half a million lives each year. The virus is particularly insidious because infected individuals can be contagious even before the first symptoms appear. Until now, diagnostic options have been less than ideal—often expensive, complicated to use, and unavailable in many poorer regions of the world.
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