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A USB Stick Can Show HIV Test Results In Under 30 Minutes (qz.com)

Researchers at Imperial College London have developed a USB stick that can measure the presence and amount of HIV in a person's blood in under 30 minutes and with 95% accuracy. The USB stick should help make testing easier in places like sub-Saharan Africa, where HIV is a serious problem and where many people live in rural regions hours or days travel away from hospitals or clinics. Also, traditional HIV testing can take days to show results, whereas the USB stick can show results in minutes. Quartz reports: The new diagnostic tool, co-created by the university and biotech company DNA Electronics, requires simply putting a single drop of blood onto a designated spot on the USB stick. The device contains a mechanism that can detect if there's any HIV genetic material -- RNA -- in the drop of blood, and if so, how much. Then, when the stick is connected to a laptop or handheld device, the data are automatically delivered to an app where the patient can quickly read his or her results. One of the most effective HIV treatments currently, called anti-retroviral treatment, reduces virus levels to near zero. However, in some cases, the virus may develop a resistance to medication or therapy, causing the virus to resurface. To catch such developments early, patients can use the devices for monitoring purposes. "The disposable test could be used by HIV patients to monitor their own treatment and help patients in remote regions of the world, where more standard HIV tests are inaccessible," the authors of the study write. For now, it's still in the proof-of-concept stage, and years away from hitting the market.

52 comments

  1. Under the gop system 30 min to get black listed by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    Under the gop system 30 min to get black listed for life.

    1. Re:Under the gop system 30 min to get black listed by hairyfeet · · Score: 1

      So you are against the free market then? Because from what I can tell the GOP position is that you shouldn't be forced to pay for things you do not support or which is against your religion. After all if this test is as cheap and effective as they say? Plenty of charities supporting that part of the world, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is just one that comes to mind.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
  2. really an improvement on current technology? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i just got an HIV test that they referred to as the "quick HIV test" and required a finger prick. it took 20 minutes...

    1. Re: really an improvement on current technology? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Results?

    2. Re: really an improvement on current technology? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      he passed with rainbow colors

    3. Re: really an improvement on current technology? by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      You mean he died with multicolored splotches on him?

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  3. University and biotech company DNA Electronics by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Please tell me Elizabeth Holmes isn't anywhere near this entity.

  4. Re:I have an even faster and cheaper test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't know, I've seen some GIANT turds some jackass before me left in the toilet in public restrooms...

  5. Be careful with that USB stick by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    It might have a virus.

  6. Re:I have an even faster and cheaper test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I saw a MASSIVE turd like nothing else in a restroom in Portland. Imagine one of those large french bakery rolls -- like the ones that are 3 feet long, only made out of PUMPERNICKEL. A big, brown French roll. That's what was left, not in the toilet, but in the **URINAL**.

  7. DNAe has pedigree by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

    For edification, DNAe actually has some merit. They're a London based company and developed the technology behind the Ion Torrent DNA sequencer that is sold by Thermo Fisher. The Ion Torrent is a valid machine, although not quite as good as the MiSeq from Illumina. It works by breaking DNA up and the hydrogen ions released create a measurable signal alteration on the silicon FETs; the chemistry invovled is astounding to make it go where you want and sequence stuff.

    https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home/brands/ion-torrent.html

    This appears to be a miniaturization of the technology. Viruses, particularly RNA viruses, have a lot fewer genes to work with; HIV only has 9 genes as compared to the human genome which has around 25,000. Since you don't need as much processing power it's conceivable you could miniaturize the Ion Torrent technology for a smaller target like HIV viral RNA.

  8. Re: Expect the Republicans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Doctors hate normal people so they always stand against fast and cheap tests.

  9. USB's made in China by turkeydance · · Score: 1

    maybe/maybe not.

  10. Re: beta testers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    As a straight male who lives in Austin, I say that's fine with us. As long as bigots like you stay under your rocks we'll be just fine.

  11. Re: Expect the Republicans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Doctors make a percentage off of tests so they want expensive, inconclusive tests.

  12. Re: Expect the Republicans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's more the AMA than Republicans. They want test to be unreliable and expensive. Last time o had viral pneumonia, I ended up on the hospital and in a medically induced coma before they would help me.

  13. Re:I have an even faster and cheaper test by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2, Insightful

    If your asshole is tight and is only used for poop, then you don't have HIV.

    You dumb fuck.

    http://www.medpagetoday.com/me...

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  14. prsion is a lifestyle choice but DR covers more t by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 1

    prison is a lifestyle choice but DR covers more then the ER does and they don't ask how are you going to pay for this.

  15. Re: Under the gop system 30 min to get black liste by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who are you working for? Obviously some type of paid agitator. GTFO.

  16. Re: Under the gop system 30 min to get black list by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not exactly. But I can assure you that I make far more money than you do.

  17. Re: Expect the Republicans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why did they put you on the hospital? They could at least have provided a room

  18. Re:I have an even faster and cheaper test by frovingslosh · · Score: 1, Interesting

    Actually, we have had simple paper test strips for over 15 years in this country, but the gay community has kept them from being widely distributed because they claim to fear discriminatory reprisals if HIV tests were readily available to the public.

    --
    I'm an American. I love this country and the freedoms that we used to have.
  19. Re: Expect the Republicans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He didn't, 'o' ended up on the hospital.

  20. Re:I have an even faster and cheaper test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Actually, we have had simple paper test strips for over 15 years in this country, but the gay community has kept them from being widely distributed because they claim to fear discriminatory reprisals if HIV tests were readily available to the public.

    How absurd! Rapid HIV tests are widely available at health clinics and STD testing centres across North America. Within 1 minute you get a result that has 99.7% sensitivity and 99.98% specificity. In cases where a positive is detected, it can be followed up with a more accurate lab-based blood test.

    Sexual and gender minorities are great advocates for making HIV testing faster, easier, and more reliable, so please keep your bigoted nonsense to yourself.

  21. Re: beta testers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Texas == Hick.

  22. Re: beta testers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ^---- And this attitude is why Trump succeeded. Congrats. (If you're not in New York or LA, you an "uneducated white male").

    I've heard the "uneducated white male" meme probably 5000x times on CNN in just two days. Let me give you a clue. 74% of the electorate is white. When you throw racial nonsense around, what do you expect is going to happen in the election?

  23. Re:I have an even faster and cheaper test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Probably an opiate shit, especially considering it was Portland, you have to be on something to live there.

  24. Here we go again... by Shoten · · Score: 2

    It has "a mechanism" to detect RNA...but only one specific kind of RNA? They didn't come up with a broader approach to detect, say, many kinds of viruses? And it's so commoditizable that it's a USB stick?

    *cough*Theranos*cough*

    --

    For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
  25. Re: Expect the Republicans... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

    It's more the AMA than Republicans. They want test to be unreliable and expensive. Last time o had viral pneumonia, I ended up on the hospital and in a medically induced coma before they would help me.

    Yeah, bad stuff like that always seems to happen to ACs. Amazing how much your life gets better when you log in.

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  26. 95% accuracy in which direction by phorm · · Score: 1

    95% accurate with the other 5% in favour of false positive (falsely showing you have HIV) would probably be a lot better than mistakenly telling you that you don't have HIV.
    If somebody uses the stick and gets the HIV+ reading, then hopefully he/she will go in for a more accurate test. Getting the all-clear for somebody actually is infected could result in some pretty bad outcomes though.

    1. Re:95% accuracy in which direction by castus · · Score: 1
      Actually the sensitivity of the actual chip thingy is 88.8%, 95% was for the same test done in a lab if I understood it correctly. The specificity was 100%, which means it doesn't give any false positives. The number of controls in the study was pretty low though, so the real specificity might be lower.

      If somebody uses the stick and gets the HIV+ reading, then hopefully he/she will go in for a more accurate test.

      You probably have to take a more accurate test to get a prescription for antiretrovirals. Not sure if the voodoo doctor requires it though

  27. Where is my USB port? by Mostly+a+lurker · · Score: 1

    I like the idea of a USB stick that can reveal my HIV status. However, I have two questions about how this works:

    • Where do I plug the USB stick in?
    • How does the USB stick display the results? Does it have red and green lights that glow appropiately when the analysis is complete?

    Inquiring minds want to know.

  28. Re:I have an even faster and cheaper test by MrL0G1C · · Score: 0

    I've had constant mod points for about 10 days and then when the site goes to shit and fills with trolls (who then mod good posts as troll) I get no mod points. Typical.

    --
    Waterfox - a Firefox fork with legacy extension support, security updates and better privacy by default.
  29. Dispose? by pubwvj · · Score: 0

    Good up until "disposable test".
    That's not so good.
    We don't need more disposable junk.
    We don't need the high cost either.
    It should be rinsed and reusable.
    Shame on them.

  30. need 2 accuracy percentages not one by SkunkPussy · · Score: 1

    need to know both false positive and false negative surely?

    If most people don't have HIV and people without HIV are correctly told that 95% of the time, that means there are shit loads of people being incorrectly told they have HIV

    --
    SURELY NOT!!!!!
  31. If it's a USB stick... by HalAtWork · · Score: 1

    Then why should the results be read through an app? Once results are found maybe it should produce some commonly readable files as the USB stick is mounted as a drive, allowing you to view say a PDF, TXT, HTML, and PNG of the results, allowing it to be read on any device in whatever format is most convenient. Why tie this to an app that may or may not be updated or even currently supported on the given OS?

    1. Re:If it's a USB stick... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Probably because it's aimed at third-world markets, where phones are more prevalent than laptops?

    2. Re:If it's a USB stick... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Phones don't have USB ports... And why not just connect via Bluetooth?

  32. that is SO much better than a condom by KingBenny · · Score: 1

    does it come with a needle, some disinfectant and where can i get one ? i need to get laid STAT

    --
    Free speech was meant to be free for all... how can anyone grow up in a nanny state ?
  33. Re: Under the gop system 30 min to get black list by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And as we all know, only gay people get aids..... /s

  34. Distribute Them Everywhere by JimSadler · · Score: 1

    Got a date? Give the test before you get busy ! Make the device cheap and available everywhere. And we can have easy testing in public schools and in many other places and situations as well. Jails and prisons could use this to be certain that cell mates do not contaminate each other.

  35. Re: I have an even faster and cheaper test by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I think some here have a history problem. Lots of people do at various levels. Historically, because of fear of bigots, we put very high security on HIV testing results. We then explained that we needed to do professional counseling if we had a positive result.

    There was a californian initiative to add it to a list of public health diseases that require public health style tracing. I vaguely supported it. Much money was,spent against it and it lost. The major leader against later said he regretted his position. I may regret mine also.

    You need to think though about why there is not a test machine for HIV in every bar now. Or perhaps paper strips. I do not know if those exist but I know the bar test was developed.

    I do not speak for the LGBT people but they are easy to ask these days.

  36. It doesn't mean what 95% of people here think... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    First this device is ONLY effective for cases of "high viral load" which means "full-blown, endemic, untreated HIV infections", rather than "I fucked the wrong person last night, did I get HIV?" situations. The difference is that testing for something at such a high concentration is radically easier than a "detecting trace amounts" which are common to the latter situation OR cases of a person already being treated for HIV.

    Second is the stated accuracy rate is 95% for in vivo (in a lab test tube version of the same test) but the unit itself isn't that accurate - it's only 88.8% accurate. Both of these don't mean that you have 95% certainty of yea or nay only when you have a 100% certain positive or negative - e.g. you get these numbers when you know for certain the person does or does not have HIV. This is not how clinical testing works - instead you don't know if the individuals tested have HIV - that's a different test and test result! So say the actual population rate 0.6% (e.g the USA). Then the actual clinical accuracy is far lower because the false positives and false negatives confound you. Use in the USA, the expected single test diagnostic accuracy would less than 1%. Used in Africa such as Zimbabwe, the single-test accuracy would be 15% and only because of the low cost, could be used again to retest to increase that accuracy.

    To get "reasonable" accuracies, you need the accuracy rate to be "many 9's" such as 99.9% to avoid Bayesian effects. It's this Bayesian effect that causes both mammograms and PSA tests to be marginal to dubious in actual effectiveness. Same goes for this: the utility literally depends on having endemic HIV!