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Traditional methods of HIV viral surveillance are expensive, requiring the use of PCR
A team of researchers has developed a portable, inexpensive diagnostic tool using a mobile phone and nanotechnology capable of to detect and monitor HIV
The management of HIV, an autoimmune disease that paralyzes the immune system by attacking healthy cells, remains a major global health problem in developing countries lacking infrastructure and qualified health professionals.
Brigham and Women's Hospital have developed this new cell-based platform, described in an article published in the journal Nature Communications.
"This fast and economical cell phone system is a new method of detecting acute infections, which would reduce the risk of viruses could also be used to detect early failure of treatment," said lead author Hadi Shafiee, PhD , Principal Inves tigator of the Division of Medical Engineering and the Renal Division of Medicine at Brigham
Traditional methods of HIV viral surveillance are expensive and require the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Nanotechnology, a microchip, Dr. Shafiee and his colleagues have created a platform capable of detecting nucleic acids from the virus's RNA from a single drop of blood.
The device detects amplified HIV nucleic acids by telephone monitoring.
Researchers found that the platform allowed detection of HIV with a specificity of 99.1% and a sensitivity of 94.6% to a clinically relevant threshold of 1000 virus particles / ml. – with results in less than an hour.
Notably, the total hardware cost of the chip, telephone attachment and reagents was less than $ 5 per test.
"Developing countries could easily use these devices when they are moving for HIV testing and surveillance." As the test is so fast, critical decisions about the next medical step could be taken here, "said Shafiee.
"We could use this same technology as a quick and economical diagnostic tool for other viruses and bacteria such as well," said lead author Mohamed Shehata Draz.
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