Fake and second-rate antibiotics are a major global threat to the fight against infectious diseases. Offering respite, a team of researchers at Colorado State University headed by Professor Chuck Harry design a test to spot bogus or mediocre antibiotics. It uses paper and is easy and economical.

In not more than 15 minutes, the new test can reveal if the amount of the given antibiotic is pure or adulterated with filling matter like baking soda. It is feasible as even an unskilled person can conduct the test because the evaluation is based on the change in the color of the strip on contact with a fake antibiotic.

The first author of the study, Dr. Kat Boehle said, “In this country, we take for granted that our antibiotics are good, we don’t even think twice, but counterfeit and substandard antibiotics are an extremely common thing in other parts of the world. The goal of this project has been to make a cheap detection device that is easy to use; our device costs literally a quarter to make.”

The mechanism of the test is based on an enzyme-releasing bacteria. This enzyme, named beta-lactamase provides protection to the bacteria against antibiotics through chemical combination with branches of the antibiotic molecule. The existence of an antibiotic in a sample could, therefore, be detected by the tool with the help of this enzyme.