Early detection of malaria by fiber optic sensor

Malaria is one of the most serious vector-borne diseases and a major public health concern worldwide. This potentially lethal disease is spread by mosquitos in tropical areas. During a mosquito bite, single-celled plasmodium parasites are carried by infected mosquitos and enter the human bloodstream. Plasmodium falciparum is the parasite that causes malaria’s most severe form. Globally, 300 to 500 million people are infected with the disease every year and 1.5 to 2.7 million people die as a result. The majority of malaria detection techniques rely on expertise, sophisticated assays as well as time consuming processes. The general subject of this research pertains to optical fiber sensors based on photonic crystal fibers (PCF) and specialty fibers (SF). This research will dwell deep into the benefits of using PCF and SF instead of conventional sensing techniques. In particular, the interest is in the detection of malaria pigment in the early stages of infection.

Project details

Diagnostics

Apr 2021 — Mar 2023

$39,630

Canada