New device for detecting HIV
A new, affordable mobile device to detect human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV) could help people in developing countries.
HIV is an autoimmune disease that remains a significant global health challenge in countries where infrastructure and trained medical professionals are lacking. The new diagnostic tool, which has been developed by investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital in the US, can detect HIV viruses and monitor its management in resource-limited regions.
“Early detection of HIV is critical to prevent disease progression and transmission, and requires long-term monitoring, which can be a burden for families that have to travel to reach a clinic or hospital,” said senior author Dr Hadi Shafiee, a principal investigator in the Division of Engineering in Medicine and Renal Division of Medicine at the Brigham. “This rapid and low-cost cellphone system represents a new method for detecting acute infection, which would reduce the risk of virus transmission and could also be used to detect early treatment failure.”
The team used nanotechnology, a microchip, a cellphone and a 3D-printed phone attachment, to create a platform that can detect the RNA nucleic acids of the virus from a single drop of blood. Researchers found that the platform allowed the detection of HIV with 99.1-per-cent specificity and 94.6-per-cent sensitivity at a clinically relevant threshold value of 1,000 virus particles/ml, with results within one hour. Furthermore, the total material cost of the microchip, phone attachment and reagents was less than US$5 per test.
“Health workers in developing countries could easily use these devices when they travel to perform HIV testing and monitoring. Because the test is so quick, critical decisions about the next medical step could be made right there,” said Dr Shafiee. “This would eliminate the burden of trips to the medical clinic and provide individuals with a more efficient means for managing their HIV.”