Rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases: the role of giant African pouched rats, dogs and honeybees.

Early detection of infection in an individual is an important strategy to prevent transmission and spread of the infection - in the community or among patients admitted in a health care facility. Over the past decade, there have been rapid advances in technology in an attempt to provide rapid, accurate tests for diagnosis of infectious diseases. With this in perspective, the use of animals' superior olfactory sensitivity to sniff out infectious diseases holds promise.