New field test detects deadly devil facial tumour disease early

Portable test detects disease early

Scientists created a new field test that uses oral swabs to find the deadly facial tumour disease immediately. This method avoids waiting days for lab results required by current testing procedures. The device shows a green glow when it finds specific DNA linked to the tumour. Researchers hope this tool will identify infected animals before they develop visible growths on their faces or bodies.

Trial results show mixed outcomes

During the trial, teams conducted thirty-three tests on ten Tasmanian devils and three spotted-tailed quolls in Tasmania. Half of the tested devils returned positive results while none of the quolls tested positive for the infection. The disease is transmitted through direct contact like biting and has reduced local populations by about eighty per cent. Lead researcher Anuk Kruawan noted that strain one remains prevalent while the second strain stays confined to the D'Entrecasteaux Channel region.

Vaccine development relies on early detection

Early detection allows researchers to study the immune system and potentially reverse engineer better therapeutics for the animals. Wildlife carers report that populations in the north-west have practically disappeared within the past year due to the illness. Alice Carson stated that only ten to twenty per cent of a population remains after the disease passes through an area. The new test aims to help develop an oral vaccination to combat declining numbers around the state.