Scientists at Imperial College London have created a USB stick that detects the HIV virus in the bloodstream and provides the resultsin less than 20 minutes. These scientists prove USB storage/sticks can do more than safely back up your files. (via Imperial College London)
Medical science has come a long way when it comes to treating HIV, but there’s still a ways to go. And despite all efforts there still isn’t a cure. While doctors are working hard at resolving this, a team of scientists at the Imperial College London have developed a device meant to help HIV positive patients stay healthy. Made in conjunction with medical testing company DNA Electronics, the team created a USB stick that finds HIV levels in the bloodstream and sends out a signal, which can be read using a computer or handheld device. All it takes is a drop of blood to get the device working. This is a great step forward for making sure HIV positive patients are well cared for.
The device has the ability to track the amount of the virus in your bloodstream, which is key to battling this sickness. When doctors see how much of the virus is active in the bloodstream, they can then track whether or not a patient stops taking their medicine or if their current form of treatment is no longer effective. Though the current treatment for HIV, anti-retroviral treatment, can reduce virus levels to near zero, it can stop working completely. If the virus develops a resistance to the medicine then it will no longer work properly. The result of this is an increase in virus levels in the bloodstream, but this can’t be easily detected in routine testing. This new USB stick could change this completely.
Surprisingly, the USB stick provides accurate results and gives out readings in less than 30 minutes, which is a huge improvement over the current wait time of three days. The latest tests proved successful with 991 blood samples tested with 95 percent accuracy with an average wait time of 20.8 minutes. The device can also work remotely, letting patients monitor themselves. It can also work in locations that don’t have access to traditional lab tests, such as sub-Saharan Africa.
The USB stick in still in its early stages, but it seems promising. Hopefully, it will actually be the norm when it comes to treating HIV patients. The research team is also looking into whether it can test other viruses, like hepatitis. Currently, DNA Electronics is using the device to come up with a testing method for sepsis and antibiotic resistance. Because the results of this USB stick are so promising, it could lead to a chance in how the medical field approaches testing for diseases. It’s beneficial because not only can they provide doctors with much more information, but they do it in a short amount of time. This can make all the difference when the saving the lives of those afflicted with such serious viruses. Let’s hope we hear more about this development in the future.
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