Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date. 
 |
Voice of America - March 27, 2004
VOA News
 |
The test provides results within 20 minutes and is 99 percent accurate.
Until now, rapid HIV testing required blood samples. The new test involves wiping a cotton swab along the gums of a person's mouth, then inserting it into a device that indicates whether the result is positive. It was developed by an American company, OraSure Technologies, Inc, based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which approved the new test, says someone with a positive result then must undergo a blood test to check the findings.
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says the new technology provides an important alternative for people who may be reluctant to take a blood test. It encourages more people to get tested, and delivers results faster. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one quarter of the estimated 900,000 people infected with HIV in the United States are not aware they have the virus.
The new test also provides additional protection for health care workers because they do not have to handle needles or blood.
Because the new test is so quick and so accurate, Mr. Thompson says it can be a valuable tool in fighting the AIDS epidemic in Africa, where the disease is most prevalent. He says U.S. aid agencies may purchase test kits for use overseas, but those plans are not yet in place.
The test has been cleared for detecting antibodies of a virus strain called HIV-1, but not HIV-2, which is prevalent in parts of Africa.
Initially, the new test will be available only at hospitals and clinics approved for its use. Eventually the test is expected to be sold in drugstores without a prescription.
See, also: OraSure Technologies
FDA
040327
VA040314
Copyright © 2004 - Voice of America. You are welcome to use any material that is published by voanews.com, or you may link to any of the web pages that Voice of America has published on the internet. There is no need to request further permission. Should you wish to establish a link to any VOA web pages, please send your request to pubaff@ibb.gov. We would appreciate that credit for any use of VOA material be given to voanews.com, Voice of America, or VOA, and we ask that you not abridge or edit any VOA material which you may use.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Bridgestone Firestone Trust Fund, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2004. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .