Five Minute Fungus
Podiatrists Michelle Score & Ivan Bristow, have had many years in clinical practice and through their business have tested many new products before they come to market. In 2016, they were introduced to the Dermatophyte Test Strip – a new technology which solves a common clinical problem by rapidly and accurately diagnosing fungal nail infection. After months assessing the product, as the saying goes, they were so impressed they started a company to bring this innovation to market in the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Is it fungal or not?
Transform the way you diagnose dermatophyte nail infections with the Dermatophyte Test Strip, a clinical test for nail infection which gives accurate results in under 5 minutes.
The Dermatophyte Test Strip (DTS) works by a process known as immune-chromotography, similar to that used in a pregnancy test. The DTS contains a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that specifically reacts with a polysaccharide that is present in the cell wall of dermatophytes. When an infected nail sample is added to the buffer solution the polysaccharide is released and picked up by the DTS. The fungal polysaccharide, if present, is absorbed into the test strip and then interacts with the mAb present in the strip. A pink line occurs in the test strip to confirm the test has worked whilst the appearance of a purple-brown line below it confirms the presence of dermatophytes in the sample.