Scientists in Swansea UK are working on a breath test that detects Volatile Organic compounds (VOCs) associated with certain serious illnessess. This is a similar line of testing that Dr Preti of the Monell Chemical Senses Center mentioned at a conference earlier this year
This is likely the kind of test in the future that would be the starting point test for metabolic body odors and halitosis, and local halitosis. Possibly localalized halitosis would make the reading awkward for detecting systemic odors. They are designing it to try and detect serious health complaints but possibly someday when the number of metabolic/bloodborne/systemic odor sufferers is known it could naturally be a part of the diagnostic and monitoring tests.
...The technology analyses the concentrations of particular chemicals and compounds associated with disease in a patient's breath, for example ammonia in relation to hepatitis and acetone in relation to diabetes.
While breath tests are at present less developed than traditional urine or blood tests, they are much less invasive, cheaper and, with improved scientific methods, could offer new potential for the rapid diagnosis and monitoring of illness, increasing the patient's chances of survival.
However, the research is still in the early stages and could take years before it is ready for NHS use...
full article from daily telegraph October 2008
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