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Traditional HIV viral surveillance methods are expensive and require the use of PCR
A team of researchers has developed a portable, inexpensive mobile phone and nanotechnology diagnostic tool that can detect HIV viruses and monitor their management in resource-constrained areas.
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 skilled health professionals.
Investigators at Brigham Hospital and Women's Hospital have designed this new mobile-based platform, described in an article published in the journal Nature Communications.
"This fast and economical cell phone system represents a new method of detecting acute infections, which would reduce the risk of virus transmission and could also be used to detect early failure of treatment," said lead author Hadi Shafiee, Ph.D. Division of Medical Engineering and Renal Division of Medicine at Brigham.
Traditional methods of viral HIV surveillance are expensive and require the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Using nanotechnology, a microchip, a mobile phone and a 3D printed phone accessory, Shafiee and his colleagues have created a platform that can detect nucleic acid RNA from the virus. 39, a single drop of blood.
The device detects amplified HIV nucleic acids through telephone monitoring of the movement of DNA-generated beads without the use of bulky or expensive equipment.
The researchers found that the platform enabled the detection of HIV with a specificity of 99.1% and a sensitivity of 94.6% to a clinically relevant threshold value of 1000 virus particles / ml – with fewer results. from one o'clock.
Notably, the total hardware cost of the microchip, phone accessories, and reagents was less than $ 5 per test.
"Health workers in developing countries could easily use these devices when they are tested for and monitored by HIV, because this test is so fast, crucial decisions about the next medical step could be made right here." said Mr. Shafiee.
"We could use this same technology as a quick and economical diagnostic tool for other viruses and bacteria," said lead author Mohamed Shehata Draz.
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