Currently, blood samples are used to verify an Ebola diagnosis. However, samples from patients pose an extreme biohazard risk. (Photograph: Science Photo/Shutterstock)

Dec 9, 2014 | News Americas

MANASSAS, Va., USA: In collaboration with two U.S. scientific institutions, Ceres Nanosciences, a biotechnology company specializing in diagnostic products, is planning to develop a new method to detect the presence of the Ebola virus in saliva. Since current methods for diagnosing Ebola rely on blood samples, the four-month project aims to find a more effective and noninvasive alternative.

Ceres has developed and commercialized a novel nanoparticle technology, called Nanotrap, which is suitable for a wide range of diagnostic applications and sample-handling needs. The technology could also be used to address the need for better testing methods for Ebola, scientists believe. 

Thus, Ceres has joined forces with George Mason University and the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases to assess the ability of Nanotrap to develop a more sensitive and safer Ebola virus test that uses saliva instead of blood. 

"Our Nanotrap particle technology presents a very compelling solution for rapid identification of infected individuals at an earlier stage of infection," said Ceres founder Dr. Emanuel Petricoin, who is also a professor at George Mason University.

According to various health organizations, the 2014 Ebola epidemic is the largest in history. The latest figures released by the World Health Organization on Dec. 3 cite 17,145 cases of Ebola, with 6,070 deaths, reported in Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone and the U.S. since the outbreak of the epidemic, which was first officially recognized in March this year.