Tampons and sanitary pads that have been modified to change colour in the presence of some urinary tract infections (UTIs) could help to quickly diagnose such conditions in lower-income countries where access to healthcare is limited 鈥� though the current design turns pink, which may not be very useful.
UTIs are incredibly common: worldwide, . The standard way to diagnose a UTI is to , but these facilities are often less available in .
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Now, and his team at the Manipal Institute of Technology in India have created cotton fibres that can detect a yeast called Candida albicans, the most common form of fungal UTI.
The researchers soaked the fibres in an amino acid that breaks down in the presence of an enzyme secreted by C. albicans. They placed the fibres inside tampons and pads and applied a simulated vaginal discharge made from blood serum, acids, urea and C. albicans.聽In both cases, the fibres turned a pinkish colour, signalling an infection.
The team only tested the fibres in the lab and haven鈥檛 yet trialled them in people, but Mani says that menstrual blood could obscure the change in colour. The team hopes to find an alternative amino acid that reacts to C. albicans聽but produces a more visible colour.
Mani says the final product should be cheap at around 20p per tampon or pad, but Jos茅 Santos, a member of a missionary organisation called that tackles period poverty in S茫o Tom茅 and Pr铆ncipe, says this may still be unaffordable.
鈥淎ny item that could balance gender injustice would be helpful, but costs can be a concern,鈥� he says, pointing out that the legal minimum wage in S茫o Tom茅 and Pr铆ncipe is the equivalent of a year. 鈥淧ads and tampons are already inaccessible to women there. This type of product is welcomed, but it has to be economically viable for communities.鈥�
ACS Omega
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