Researchers develop simple method to detect rheumatic heart disease

Beijing (ANTARA) - A team of researchers has developed simple, low-cost technology to detect rheumatic heart disease at an early stage, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev said, according to Xinhua on Friday (16 October).

The researchers said the new method, described in the journal ACS Sensors, could make screening for the disease more accessible in remote areas with limited medical resources.

Rheumatic heart disease can develop after an untreated streptococcal bacterial throat infection, when the immune response damages the heart valves. It remains one of the leading causes of illness and death among young people in developing countries.

The new technology uses polymers to detect disease markers in blood. If the markers are present, the polymer emits a light signal that can be measured using basic laboratory equipment.

The researchers said the technology could also be adapted to detect markers associated with other diseases.