The £16 blood test that lets you know every virus you have ever had

A new blood test costing just £16 can give you a list of every virus that has ever made you sick. The immune system effectively keeps a record of each virus that infects you thanks to antibodies which continue to circulate in case the virus is encountered again. Existing tests for HIV already look for these antibodies, but the new test is able to check for antibodies matching almost every virus known to infect humans. It works by exposing a blood sample to a viral protein. If the antibodies target it then the virus has infected the person in the past.

If we’d had this test during the HIV outbreak in the 1980s, it would have given us a clue for where to be looking to find out more about the virus. It’s a really exciting technique.

Manchester University Professor Pamela Vallely

The test, called VirScan, has been fully tested and the team found an average of 10 virus antibodies in each of the 569 people screened so far. The researchers behind VirScan also say that it could be used to spot links between viral infections and diseases like chronic fatigue syndrome which are not well understood. The technology could also have a use in screening farm animals and wild animal populations.

If we’d had this test during the HIV outbreak in the 1980s, it would have given us a clue for where to be looking to find out more about the virus.

Manchester University Professor Pamela Vallely

Health virus test