Can Dogs Detect the Next Pandemic Before It Begins? | Glen J. Golden | TED

Summary

The speaker discusses an innovative concept of creating a 'mechanical nose' that could detect diseases through odor profiles, similar to how smoke detectors sense smoke. Inspired by how dogs can smell diseases, like cancer or high blood sugar, the goal is to develop a system that could detect viruses and other illnesses before symptoms appear. The speaker highlights successful experiments with ferrets and dogs identifying avian flu and chronic wasting disease in animals, stressing how this technology could prevent pandemics and improve disease control in humans and animals alike.

Takeaways

• 🔔 A mechanical 'disease detector' similar to smoke detectors could continuously monitor for virus-related odors in the air.
• 🐕 Dogs can smell diseases like cancer, high blood sugar, and seizures by detecting metabolic changes, which could be used on a larger scale.
• 🐓 A disease-sniffing device could revolutionize animal health, such as detecting avian influenza in chickens before it spreads.
• 🐀 Ferrets were trained to detect avian influenza in ducks with 79% accuracy, showing promise for animal disease detection.
• 🤖 Building a mechanical nose is challenging due to the complexity of the mammalian olfactory system, but research is advancing through animal studies.
• 🦌 Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in deer is another target for detection, with trained dogs able to sniff out the disease from fecal samples with up to 94% accuracy in the lab.
• 🐾 Transitioning to dogs for fieldwork is more practical than using ferrets because of their better focus and motivation.
• 🦠 Early detection of infectious diseases using animals could lead to faster intervention, preventing larger outbreaks in both humans and animals.
• 🧠 Prion diseases like CWD create spongiform encephalopathies (holes in the brain), and are a major threat to wildlife like deer, elk, and moose.
• 🎤 The speaker's journey from a music career to working with dogs and becoming a scientist highlights the profound role animals can play in health research and disease detection.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind the concept of a 'mechanical nose' mentioned in the script?

The 'mechanical nose' is envisioned as a device similar to a smoke detector, but instead of detecting smoke, it would detect the odor profiles associated with diseases. It would continuously monitor the air for signs of infection and alert users to possible illness before symptoms appear, potentially preventing the spread of diseases.

How can a 'mechanical nose' help prevent pandemics?

A 'mechanical nose' could detect viral infections before symptoms are visible, allowing for earlier diagnosis and isolation. This would limit the spread of contagious diseases and reduce the risk of widespread outbreaks, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What role do animals play in detecting diseases, according to the script?

Animals such as dogs, ferrets, and even rats have been trained to detect diseases by recognizing specific odor profiles associated with infections. These animals have been successful in detecting diseases like cancer, high blood sugar, and various viruses.

Why is it difficult to create a 'mechanical nose' similar to an animal's olfactory system?

The human and animal olfactory systems are incredibly complex, detecting thousands of odors across combinations of millions of olfactory receptors. Mimicking this complexity in a mechanical device presents a significant challenge for researchers.

How have ferrets been used in detecting diseases in the lab?

Ferrets were trained to detect the presence of avian influenza virus by differentiating between infected and non-infected samples. They achieved a detection accuracy of 90% in lab tests and could even identify infected samples a day before traditional medical tests could.

Why aren't ferrets suitable for high-traffic areas like airports or farms despite their success in the lab?

Ferrets, while effective in controlled environments, can be prone to distraction and are less motivated than dogs. In chaotic, high-traffic areas such as airports or farms, dogs are better suited for the task.

What are the potential applications of using trained dogs in detecting diseases?

Trained dogs could be used on farms to detect avian influenza, at airports to monitor wildlife, and at hunter check-in stations to identify chronic wasting disease in deer. They can serve as non-invasive, rapid disease detectors in a variety of environments.

What challenges do scientists face when trying to train animals to detect diseases in real-world environments?

One challenge is that real-world environments often contain more complex and competing odors compared to lab conditions. Additionally, animals may become distracted in busy environments, which can reduce their effectiveness.

What is Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), and how can animals help in detecting it?

CWD is a fatal, transmissible disease that affects deer, elk, and moose. It spreads through bodily fluids and the environment. Dogs have been trained to detect CWD in fecal samples with high accuracy in both lab and field conditions, helping prevent the spread of the disease.

What is the long-term goal of research in odor detection, as described in the script?

The long-term goal is to develop a fully functional mechanical nose that can detect various diseases. Until then, trained animals like dogs, ferrets, and rats can be deployed in labs and field environments to serve as early detectors of infections, potentially saving lives.