Source: Imperial College London
Experts from Imperial College London and the company DNA Electronics have developed a portable device that can detect the presence and concentration of HIV virus in a small volume blood sample (usually one drop). This gadget after the analysis generates a signal that is transmitted to a PC, laptop or portable device, where the signal is processed by special software.
According to the developers, the device can be used anywhere at any time - both at home and in hospitals located in remote and inaccessible regions. the test time - half an hour or even less. Information about the project developers published in Scientific Reports magazine. Scientists say that the accuracy of determining the presence of HIV in the blood is very high.
The new technology allows people to carry out tests on their own. Current tests are performed for about three days, often even longer, and require you to send blood samples to the laboratory, so that more time is spent on transportation. It is not always possible, since some regions of the different countries are at a considerable distance from the centers where such an analysis is carried out. Often, we are talking about hundreds or even thousands of kilometers. Worst of all, that in the countries with the highest levels of HIV carriers such laboratories do not have or have only a few in the entire country.
Timely detection of HIV enables use methods for treating a retrovirus, which significantly reduces its presence in the blood by inhibiting the development and activity. In some cases, modern treatment methods are failing - probably because the virus develops resistance to the drug treatment. The first signal to the fact that what happened is to increase the amount of virus in a blood disease. That is why constant monitoring and analyzes are required in order to be able to verify the effectiveness of the treatment.
The problem consists in the fact that the majority of laboratories that can detect the presence of HIV in human blood using antibodies are unable to determine the concentration of viruses. The analysis only infected people show in such laboratories or not. As mentioned above, patients who undergo medical treatment, it is vital to monitor the levels of virus in their blood.
Human immunodeficiency virus affects the immune system cells having on their surface receptors CD4: T helper cells, monocytes, macrophages, Langerhans cells, dendritic cells, microglia cells. As a result of the work of the immune system is suppressed, developed acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the patient loses the ability to defend the body against infections and tumors that occur secondary opportunistic diseases that are not typical for people with normal immune status.
Dr Graham Cook, one of the developers of portable lab on a chip, said that the effectiveness of treatments for HIV have improved dramatically over the past 20 years. Patients with the disease can live without too much trouble, if you regularly take the necessary preparations. Without proper treatment the disease causes the death of a patient in an average of 9-11 years after infection (depending on the subtype of the virus). The average life expectancy in the AIDS stage is about nine months. When antiretroviral therapy patient's life expectancy is 70-80 years.
"Nevertheless, monitoring the concentration of virus in human blood is critically important for effective treatment. Now this observation often requires significant time and cost. We have developed this device, the amount of which was initially equal to the size of the copier, and gradually reduce it to the size of the stick "
Developers argue that they are now the project is still in the early stages of development. But now patients can regularly perform tests, observing the amount of virus in their blood. A particularly useful device can be in Africa, in poor countries with low levels of health care. Here, sometimes, generally there is no opportunity to conduct the necessary tests.
The gadget uses the mobile phone chip. For him only a drop of blood is needed. If the virus is in the blood, it changes the acidity of the sample. The device detects this and sends a corresponding signal. He assumed control software on your mobile phone or PC. Over the past few months, the developers tested 991 blood sample. The accuracy of the analysis was 95%. The average time of analysis - 20.8 minutes.
Now scientists want to modify their lab on a chip so that the device can detect the presence and concentration of viruses in the blood of other species. For example, the hepatitis B virus. The project authors believe that their work - a perfect example of how a new method of analysis combined with modern technology is changing the way the treatment of HIV patients, allowing a rapid, accurate and efficient analysis of blood.