Breathalyser test shows if it’s flu

DIAGNOSING flu could be as simple as giving yourself a breathalyser test.

Scientists at the University of Texas in the U.S. have developed a hand-held device that detects high levels of certain chemicals — isoprene, ammonia and nitric oxide — released by cells in the lungs when they become inflamed through infection.

The results can be transmitted to a mobile phone, reports the journal Sensors.

Currently, tests to detect raised levels of these chemicals can be done only by labbased machinery, so aren’t readily available.

This device is designed to be used by patients at the first sign of illness, speeding up treatment with antiviral drugs. It could be available in three to five years.