{
  "id": 19206204,
  "title": "Portable test detects Zika and hepatitis C in hours without lab-grade equipment",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/09/portable-test-detects-zika-and-hepatitis-c-in-hours-without-lab-grade",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-11-09T20:00:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Medical Xpress",
    "slug": "medical-xpress",
    "url": "https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-11-portable-zika-hepatitis-hours-lab.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new testing protocol developed by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can detect Zika and hepatitis C viral RNA directly from whole blood samples without needing traditional lab equipment. The process involves heating the blood sample to dry it, amplifying the preserved viral RNA, and detecting it using fluorescence. This point-of-care method has the potential to greatly improve rapid diagnosis and treatment in resource-limited settings where time-sensitive medical interventions are crucial.",
  "summary": "A new protocol detects RNA viruses such as Zika and hepatitis C without traditional medical laboratory equipment. Requiring only a handheld reader and a portable heater, it has the potential to bring rapid testing to low-income regions where low accessibility and availability often hinder time-sensitive diagnoses and treatments.",
  "key_points": [
    "Portable test detects Zika and hepatitis C in hours",
    "Developed by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign researchers",
    "Point-of-care method improves rapid diagnosis in resource-limited settings"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}