Woodley has announced the launch of the QBC Paralens Advance fluorescent microscopy system for malaria and tuberculosis detection.
The Paralens Advance is a microscope attachment from QBC Diagnostics (available through Woodley Laboratory Diagnostics in Europe, Africa and the Middle East) that is suitable for research and clinical applications that would benefit from LED fluorescence microscopy.
The Paralens Advance can be used with any compound light microscope, with no need to invest in unnecessary new equipment.
It easily attaches as an objective, with a detachable filter set arm that allows users to change between objectives whenever necessary.
The durable Paralens Advance LED light source has an average life of 20,000 hours and a rugged design that is able to withstand any environment, according to Woodley.
The LED light is as bright as a 100W mercury vapour bulb, providing clarity during sample review, even in direct sunlight.
The Paralens Advance light source can be powered by any outlet with the included AC to DC power pack, or anywhere else with the addition of portable power options such as the Paralens Advance Portability Pack or the OBC Mobile Power Station.
Fluorescence microscopy can be used for numerous research, analytical, and clinical applications.
Of particular interest is its potential impact in the detection of diseases such as tuberculosis and malaria.
The World Health Organisation recommends the use of LED fluorescence microscopy for the detection of tuberculosis Acid Fast Bacilli (AFB) in sputum samples treated with Auramine O stain.
The Paralens Advance with 20x and 40 objectives works with QBC Fluorescence and Staining Technologies (FAST) AFB kits to meet this requirement, providing clarity and speed in AFB detection.
The Paralens Advance with 60x objective is designed to work with the QBC Malaria Test, a capillary blood tube coated with fluorescent acridine orange stain, for the detection of parasites.
The QBC Test is said to provide sensitivity 5.5 to seven per cent greater than Giemsa thick films in parasite detection, with just a fraction of the preparation and review time.
The Paralens Advance can be used to screen for numerous other diseases, including: filariasis, babesiosis, trypanosomiasis, blastocystis, relapsing fever, Lyme disease, leptospirosis, Trichomonas vaginalis, girardiasis, cryptosporidiosis, viseral leishmaniasis, and pneumococcemia.
