British experts are aiming to develop a new field test for the Ebola virus.
Public Health England has been given a £1 million grant to set up a Europe-wide consortium aiming to develop an accurate test for the virus.
The aim is to be able to diagnose the disease within 40 minutes.
Professor Miles Carroll, head of microbiology research at the organisation, said: “If our research is successful, it could be possible to diagnose a suspected case on site in 30 to 40 minutes, which will dramatically decrease mortality rates.
“Patients will be treated faster leading to a greater chance of their survival. It will also help medical staff stop the spread of infection and ultimately bring outbreaks to an end.”
* British researchers warned today of the risk to young children from the virus.
They found that children under five succumbed more quickly and had higher death rates than other age groups. About 80% of those infected in this age group have died.
Nearly 4,000 children under the age of 16 have so far been infected with the virus in the west African epidemic.
Researchers at Imperial College, London, reported their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Researchers found that older children were more robust when infected. Some 52% of victims of this age have died compared with 65% of infected adults.
Researcher Professor Christl Donnelly said: "These findings show that Ebola affects young children quite differently to adults, and it’s especially important that we get them into treatment quickly. We also need to look at whether young children are getting treatment that’s appropriate for their age."
Ebola Virus Disease among Children in West Africa New England Journal of Medicine 25 March 2015; 372;13; doi: 10.1056/NEJMc1415318
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