--- description: New finding could help scientists trace how viruses spread title: This Blood Test Can Detect Every Virus You've Ever Had image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [Health](/section/health/) ## Health Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [viruses](/tag/viruses/) ## viruses Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # This Blood Test Can Detect Every Virus You've Ever Had ## Video: TIME Explains: Cancer Screenings [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Explains: Cancer Screenings](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/pAMu9cRG.m3u8) (1:51)  _Published 2012-10-01. TIME's Alice Park explains how new cancer screening recommendations effect you_ by [Josh Sanburn](/author/josh-sanburn/) ## Josh Sanburn Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 6, 2015 3:01 PM CUT by [Josh Sanburn](/author/josh-sanburn/) ## Josh Sanburn Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 6, 2015 3:01 PM CUT One blood test analyzing less than a single drop of blood can now reveal every virus people have over their lifetime, according to a new study. A new experimental test called VirScan can detect the 206 virus species known to infect humans and more than 1,000 known virus strains just by testing a small amount of blood, according to the journal [_Science_](http://www.sciencemag.org/content/348/6239/aaa0698 "undefined")_._ Scientists tested VirScan on almost 600 people on four continents and detected an average of 10 strains per person, many of which were common like the cold or flu. But at least two people tested positive for 84 strains. The new blood test could help doctors trace how viruses spread, and scientists say they believe the test could be expanded as new ones are discovered. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3911629/blood-test-virus/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3911629/blood-test-virus/"},"headline":"This Blood Test Can Detect Every Virus You've Ever Had","datePublished":"2015-06-06T15:01:24.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T07:58:36.950Z","description":"New finding could help scientists trace how viruses spread","url":"https://time.com/3911629/blood-test-virus/","keywords":["viruses","cold","Science topic","flu","health","Virus"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Josh Sanburn","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/josh-sanburn/"}],"articleSection":"Health","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/health/","name":"Health"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/viruses/","name":"viruses"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3911629/blood-test-virus/","name":"This Blood Test Can Detect Every Virus You've Ever Had"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"TIME Explains: Cancer Screenings","description":"TIME's Alice Park explains how new cancer screening recommendations effect you","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/pAMu9cRG/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2012-10-01T11:28:53.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/pAMu9cRG.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3911629/blood-test-virus/","duration":"PT1M51S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3911629/blood-test-virus/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```