Among the many problems with the flu is the fact that you can spread the virus before you even know you've got it. An experimental new "sensor" could one day keep you from doing so, by causing you to taste thyme in your mouth.
First of all, there are already inexpensive COVID-style lateral flow test kits that allow people to test themselves for influenza at home, but those kits are only effective once patients are already showing symptoms. When patients are still pre-symptomatic – yet nonetheless contagious – the kits are ineffective.
There are other kits that detect the flu virus before symptoms appear, although they tend to be costly and slow-working. That's where the new molecular sensor comes in.
It's being developed by Prof. Lorenz Meinel and colleagues from Germany's University of Würzburg, and is actually an edible ingredient that could be incorporated into chewing gum or lozenges.
The sensor's main active component is a glycoprotein that's part of the influenza virus, known as neuraminidase – it's the "N" in H1N1. Ordinarily, the virus uses neuraminidase to break certain bonds of the host cell that it's attacking, in order to infect it. In the sensor, the neuraminidase is bound to molecules of a phenolic compound called thymol, which is found in the herb thyme.
The idea is that when the sensor is placed in the mouth of person infected with the flu, the virus will activate the neuraminidase, causing it to break the bonds holding the thymol molecules in place – thus allowing them to be tasted by the tongue. Upon detecting the thyme-like flavor, the person will know that they've got the flu, and can isolate themselves accordingly.
In tests conducted so far, the sensor has successfully released thymol within 30 minutes of being placed in vials of saliva obtained from people infected with influenza. Human trials could begin within two years.
It is hoped that the technology could ultimately be utilized by people working in environments where they're either at a high risk of getting the flu, or are around people who need to be highly protected from the virus.
A paper on the research was recently published in the journal ACS Central Science.
Source: American Chemical Society
