5 Proven Facts About the Rapid Diagnostic Test Zika Virus Research
Researchers at New York University College of Dentistry, in collaboration with Rheonix Inc., are developing a rapid diagnostic test Zika virus detection method that uses saliva to identify diagnostic markers in a fraction of the time required by current commercial tests. The test was adapted from an existing HIV testing model and is described in two publications in PLOS ONE and the Journal of Visualized Experiments. According to the Mayo Clinic, Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects, making fast and accurate diagnosis critical.
Why Existing Zika Testing Falls Short
Outbreaks of infectious diseases are occurring with growing frequency due to population concentration and global air travel. A 2015 Zika outbreak in Brazil spread across Central and South America, the Caribbean, and parts of the southern United States, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a public health emergency.
Current testing for Zika relies primarily on blood samples processed using real time polymerase chain reaction, a method that takes approximately three hours. Antibody tests can take several weeks. A rapid diagnostic test Zika virus approach is urgently needed because the virus disappears from blood within one to two weeks after infection but persists longer in saliva, semen, and urine. Antibodies can also remain detectable in those fluids for months or years, making saliva an ideal testing medium.
5 Proven Facts About the Rapid Diagnostic Test Zika Virus Method
1. The Test Uses Saliva Instead of Blood
The NYU rapid diagnostic test Zika virus method combines both nucleic acid and antibody assays using saliva, a noninvasive, cost effective, and easier to collect alternative to blood or urine. Because Zika virus and its antibodies persist longer in saliva, this approach extends the diagnostic window significantly beyond what blood testing allows.
2. Results Can Be Delivered in Minutes
The new method uses isothermal amplification, which can detect viral nucleic acids in as little as 20 minutes. Antibody tests using Zika specific antigens can be completed in under an hour. This rapid diagnostic test Zika virus approach dramatically reduces the time between sample collection and actionable results compared to current standard methods.
3. The Technology Was Adapted Directly From HIV Testing
The research team built on earlier collaborative work with Rheonix that produced a rapid saliva test for HIV capable of detecting both viral RNA and antibodies simultaneously. As study author Daniel Malamud, PhD, professor of basic science at NYU Dentistry explained, the same model can be applied to any infectious disease as long as the nucleic acid sequence and a specific antigen are known. Adapting it for Zika required only replacing the HIV markers with Zika specific ones.
4. The Test Distinguishes Zika From Similar Viruses
Because Zika can be easily confused with Dengue and Chikungunya, the researchers identified Zika specific antigens using a high density peptide microarray. This specificity is essential to making the rapid diagnostic test Zika virus method clinically reliable and preventing misdiagnosis in outbreak settings where multiple viruses may be circulating simultaneously.
5. The Platform Is Designed for Point of Care Use
The test was adapted to the Rheonix CARD cartridge and workstation, enabling automated and simultaneous processing of nucleic acid and antibody tests. The fully automated platform requires virtually no hands on effort and is suited for use by individuals with minimal training, making it viable for rapid deployment during outbreaks at airports, clinics, and other points of care.
Why This Rapid Diagnostic Test Zika Virus Research Matters
Early pathogen identification is critical to containing the spread of infectious disease. As Malamud noted, during an epidemic it could become possible to test people before they board a plane, transforming how public health surveillance operates at scale.
Beyond Zika, the researchers have developed a generic protocol that can be adapted for any newly emerging or re emerging infectious disease. This flexibility positions the rapid diagnostic test Zika virus platform as a broader tool for global infectious disease preparedness, backed by funding from the National Institutes of Health.
FOMAT conducts Phase I through Phase IV clinical research across a national network of investigator sites throughout the United States. To learn more about active infectious disease studies, visit our patient active studies page.