American medical scientists from Tulane University in Louisiana have developed a new rapid test that shows the presence of human immune virus (HIV) and tuberculosis-causing bacteria in a patient’s body. The study was published in the scientific journal magazine Clinical Chemistry (ClinChem).
HIV and tuberculosis often occur together. One of the symptoms of HIV is a suppressed immune system, which makes a person more likely to contract tuberculosis. Typically, tuberculosis testing is done using sputum bacterial culture; this is time consuming and may not be practical when patients require urgent treatment. Phlegm, which is a mixture of saliva and mucus, is also a product of the immune response and is therefore unsuitable for patients with HIV due to immunosuppression.
The new test eliminates the need to collect sputum and limits sputum collection to blood sampling. Only 200 microliters or a few drops of blood are required to determine the presence or absence of disease.
The test targets HIV and TB antigens in the blood and uses mass spectrometry to determine viral and bacterial load. This will allow doctors to monitor the level of pathogens in the patient’s body and intervene quickly if the prescribed treatment does not work.
The speed of testing means clinicians can detect this earlier and change the treatment plan to achieve better results.
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