to the eye

"Our new method is able to detect subtle changes over time in repeated mammogram images that are not visible to the eye," said Jiang, yet these changes hold rich information that can help identify high-risk individuals.

In the test, phages -- as they are called informally -- find and attack the target bacteria in a sample, causing the bacteria to release microscopic amounts of intracellular material which the test can read, triggering a colour change that is readily visible to the eye.

"We already knew that certain mutations in these subunits are linked to the eye disease retinitis pigmentosa," says Dr. Cristian Prieto-Garcia from the Institute of Biochemistry II, the first author of the study.

If the worker was exposed by a splash of contaminated milk to the eye, or a rub of the eye with a contaminated glove, the virus may have been stalled out — unable to replicate like it could have had the worker been exposed via inhalation.

“He was having trouble seeing. Obviously taking a little bit of trauma to the eye, it takes a little bit of time to get your clear vision back. But other than that, no update.”