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Killer Applications: Simple and Affordable Imaging Cytometry for TB and Malaria Diagnosis

By Dr. Howard Shapiro, M.D., P.C.

HIV/AIDS, malaria, and TB combine to kill an estimated six million people each year. Although development of inexpensive CD4 counters for HIV/AIDS has attracted much interest, treating the disease is expensive, and a cure is unlikely to be found soon. By contrast, most victims of tuberculosis (TB) and malaria do not have HIV/AIDS, and could be cured by inexpensive drugs in weeks to months if diagnosed promptly and properly. Nonetheless, others have not pursued low-cost cytometric approaches to either TB or malaria. We have investigated the possibility of using simple fluorescence imaging cytometers for diagnosis and drug sensitivity testing of both TB and malaria, beginning by reexamining the foundations of slide-based diagnosis of both conditions. And have concluded that these small, robust, inexpensive instruments could provide solutions for these applications and many others.

View and listen to Dr. Shapiro's audio pdf presentation PDF File on this topic.

View Dr. Shapiro's pdf presentation PDF File on this topic.