UK-based OJ Bio is getting ready to test a handheld device that could help physicians better identify the flu and other infectious diseases, all while curbing the wasteful over-prescription of antibiotics.

Said device is able to test biological samples such as serum, saliva or blood on a disposable biochip for the presence of a disease antigen, which is then converted to an electronic signal and displayed on a mobile app.

The presence of a disease antigen on the chip, the company claims, changes the phase angle of the acoustic wave passing across the chip’s surface, and is then translated into an electronic signal. The signal is transmitted via Bluetooth to diagnostic software and displayed on a corresponding app within seconds.

OJ Bio plans to test the device soon on influenza A and B viruses, as well as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).OJ Bio plans to test the device soon on influenza A and B viruses, as well as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). What’s more, the hope is to expand the test to target C-reactive protein, a biomarker of inflammatory disease that could help physicians rule out serious bacterial infections and help them reduce the unnecessary prescription of antibiotics.

“Currently, GPs and frontline health workers have no easy way of determining if a patient with flu-like symptoms is suffering from a bacterial or viral infection and may therefore take the cautious decision to prescribe antibiotics,” Dale Athey, OJ Bio’s chief executive, said in a recent press release. “However, by providing an immediate indication of a lack of bacterial infection at the point of care, the device removes this uncertainty, helping the patient to understand why antibiotics may not be necessary and are not being prescribed.”

[Via: mHealthNews]