Russia has developed the world’s first rapid test for detecting Aspergillus niger, a pathogenic fungus responsible for invasive aspergillosis, which primarily affects the lungs. The test was created by the Central Research Institute of Epidemiology under the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor) as part of the federal project “Sanitary Shield of the Country for Health Safety.”
Aspergillus niger, commonly known as black mold, is found in soil, dust, decaying plant material, and within ventilation and water supply systems. The fungus can cause invasive aspergillosis, affecting the lungs and paranasal sinuses, and may subsequently spread to other organs including the brain, skin, liver, and kidneys.
The newly developed diagnostic tool boasts high accuracy and delivers results within 40 minutes. It can detect even minimal concentrations of Aspergillus niger in sputum samples, facilitating early diagnosis. Rospotrebnadzor highlighted that the non-specific clinical symptoms of invasive aspergillosis make laboratory diagnostics crucial for timely detection and treatment initiation.
The institute behind the development has the capacity to produce at least one million test systems annually.
As previously reported, the United States is actively developing a vaccine against Valley fever, a deadly disease caused by a fungus.