A team of ‘Scienceporium’ PhD students from the Warsaw University of Technology have developed a 15-minute biodegradable test that detects the virus that causes Lassa haemorrhagic fever.

According to the WHO, the Lassa haemorrhagic fever virus has the greatest potential to cause an epidemic, in which the mortality rate could be as high as 50 %.

According to PW PhD team leader Joanna Baran, the best way to reduce the spread of the virus is through preventive testing.

Currently, only laboratory tests are available, which are quite expensive and give results after two working days at the earliest.  

VIRITEST is an antigen test that is based on antibody-antigen interactions. It has a compact and lightweight cigarette shape into which a patient’s saliva sample is inserted. 

“After application of the patient’s sample, the test works in a similar way to coronavirus tests, the sample moves along the test strip and the result is indicated by the strips – two in the case of a positive test and one in the case of a negative test”, explains Joanna Baran.