Now, smart phones to diagnose HIV and syphilis
09 Feb 2015
Engineers have created a compact, handheld device that plugs into an iPhone and turns it into a mobile laboratory that could diagnose HIV and syphilis in 15 minutes flat, www.latimes.com reported.
The diagnostic device or a ''dongle'' was tested on 96 patients who were undergoing treatment in three community health centres in Kigali, Rwanda. After getting their test results, 97 per cent of the patients said they would recommend it to others, a report published this week in Science Translational Medicine said.
Columbia University researchers developed the dongle to make it easier for healthcare workers in remote areas to identify people with life-threatening sexually transmitted diseases. The HIV and syphilis tests in use cost as much as $8.50 combined and could take as much as 2.5 hours to complete.
According to the engineers, a rapid, reliable test that could be performed anywhere would be a huge lifesaver in places like Rwanda.
Previous research had shown that if a test like this correctly identifies 70 per cent to 80 per cent of people who are infected and 70 per cent to 80 per cent of those who were not, it would cut the number of deaths by a factor of 10 as against a traditional test that was 100 per cent accurate.
Meanwhile, www.nydailynews.com reported that Dr Antonio Urbina, the medical director of The Mount Sinai Hospital's Institute for Advanced Medicine who was not involved in the project as saying it was a game-changer in terms of the (home) diagnostics consumers could do.
It would empower individuals to take ownership of their own health he added.
Other HIV self-tests were sent to labs or used oral fluid and could cost up to $20,000, according to Urbina, whereas the device could be made for around $34, making it the most affordable and portable option.
The device could also make a big impact in countries where pricey lab equipment was not available.
The dongle was successfully piloted in Rwanda where health care workers were given a 30-minute crash course before using the device on 96 patients at clinics and testing centres.
Samuel Sia, the research team leader, said the test was designed for use by anyone proficient with a smart phone.
