Researchers say that, toxins, bacteria and fungi from the blood that are extracted using a device that uses magnets could one day give sepsis and other infection-affected patients a new lifeline.
The external gadget is so far not yet tested in humans but tests in rats. Removing Ebola and other viruses from blood might eventually be altered.
The invention that used a genetically-engineered human blood protein called mannose-binding lectin (MBL) coats the magnetic nanobeads is inspired by the spleen. The developers wrote in the journal Nature Medicine that, with a magnet we can then withdraw toxins and pathogens that are binding with the MBL.
Study co-author doctor from the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering says that if the device is safe for humans, the bio-spleen will cleanse the patient's blood by quickly getting a huge range of blood toxins, live pathogens and also dead fragments.
Disinfected blood will then be returned into the circulatory system.
Inger told AFP that even before the formal identification of the pathogen and the excellent antibiotic medication was chosen the treatment could be executed. The binding properties of the MBL protein to the Ebola virus might possibly be useful for treating the patients.
The bio-spleen could potentially cure patients in the midst of the most contagious, toxic stage of the ailment and cut down the amount of virus in the blood.
Binding of the HIV and the Marburg virus by MBL has been reported.
Malignant portion of LPS endotoxin, which is a type of bacteria were injected into rats. The researchers found out that animal survival could outstandingly improve with the bio-spleen.
The bio-spleen disinfected many fungi, toxins and species of bacteria in the examination with human blood were exhibited in the lab.
Inger cautions that before the bio-spleen can be approved, years of examination will then occur in larger animals and to be fixed in the future with humans.