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The management of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV), an autoimmune disorder, which is an important part of the immune system. Investigators from Brigham and Women's Hospital have designed a portable and affordable mobile diagnostic tool, utilizing a cellphone and nanotechnology, with the ability to detect HIV viruses and monitor its management in resource-limited areas. The novel platform is described in a paper published recently Nature Communications.
"Early detection of HIV is critical to prevent disease progression and transmission, and it requires long-term monitoring, which can be a burden for families to have a hospital," said senior author Hadi ¬Shafiee, PhD , a leading 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."
Traditional virus monitoring methods for HIV are expensive, requiring the use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Shafiee and his colleagues sought to design an affordable, simple tool that makes HIV testing and monitoring possible for individuals in developing countries with less access to medical care.
Utilizing nanotechnology, a microchip, a cellphone and a 3D-printed phone attachment, the researchers created a platform that can detect the RNA nucleic acids of the virus from a single drop of blood. The device detects the amplified HIV nucleic acids through on-the-phone monitoring of the motion of DNA-engineered beads without using bulky or expensive equipment. The detection is evaluated for specificity and sensitivity.
Researchers found that the detection of HIV with 99.1 percent specificity and 94.6 percent sensitivity was clinically relevant to the value of 1,000 virus particles / ml, with results within one hour. Notably, the total material cost of the microchip, phone attachment and reagents was less than $ 5 per test.
"Health workers in developing countries can test the situation because the test is so quick," said Shafiee. "This would eliminate the burden of traveling to the medical clinic and provide more effective means of managing their HIV."
Dr. Mohamed Shehata Draz, PhD, an instructor in the Division of Engineering in Medicine and Renal Division of Medicine, said Dr. Mohamed Shehata Draz, Ph.D. at the Brigham .. "This platform could help a lot of people worldwide."
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Materials provided by Brigham and Women's Hospital. Note: Content can be edited for style and length.
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