Socks worn by infected kids carry telltale odor
Medical detection dogs can smell signs of malaria on clothes worn by children infected with the disease, according to a new study. Researchers from The Gambia and the UK say that this canine ability may lead to the identification of people in need of treatment and may also help prevent the spread of the disease.
Previous research has shown that when people are infected with malaria, their odor changes, making them even more attractive to the mosquitoes that carry the disease. Armed with that knowledge, researchers trained dogs to detect the smell of malaria using clothes worn by people known to be infected with the disease. Then, they tested the dogs’ ability to detect that distinctive scent.
Tags:
via Whisker Therapy