Breathalysers for diagnosing the cause of a sore throat or serious diseases such as asthma and diabetes will soon revolutionise medicine, predict researchers from Imperial College, London. These devices will look out for chemicals in the breath of patients that are associated with certain infections or illnesses. Respiratory specialist Peter Openshaw says he hopes the team's prototype device -- capable of diagnosing sore throats -- tells doctors the precise cause of the problem. Oppens says this will prove extremely beneficial for the patient as they will cut down the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Opens and his colleagues believe their device will be ready for clinical tests within two years. The team anticipates a multi-billion dollar market for these devices
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