The Potential Use of Volatile Biomarkers for Malaria Diagnosis

Pathogens may change the odor and odor-related biting behavior of the vector and host to enhance pathogen transmission. In recent years, volatile biomarker investigations have emerged to identify odors that are differentially and specifically released by pathogens and plants, or the pathogen-infecte...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Hwa Chia Chai, Kek Heng Chua
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-11-01
Series:Diagnostics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4418/11/12/2244
Description
Summary:Pathogens may change the odor and odor-related biting behavior of the vector and host to enhance pathogen transmission. In recent years, volatile biomarker investigations have emerged to identify odors that are differentially and specifically released by pathogens and plants, or the pathogen-infected or even cancer patients. Several studies have reported odors or volatile biomarkers specifically detected from the breath and skin of malaria-infected individuals. This review will discuss the potential use of these odors or volatile biomarkers for the diagnosis of malaria. This approach not only allows for the non-invasive mean of sample collection but also opens up the opportunity to develop a biosensor for malaria diagnosis in low-resource settings.
ISSN:2075-4418