A "portable lab" created by University of Toronto researchers James Dou and Stewart Aitchison could revolutionize the way HIV is diagnosed and treated around the world.
As reported by the
Toronto Star, the portable cytometer can take blood tests on the spot and produces results within minutes, making it faster, cheaper and easier to use than any other HIV testing device to date.
"'The current gold standard for CD4 testing is a machine roughly the size of a photocopier called the flow cytometer,' Dou says."
"Not only is the flow cytometer bulky, it's also an expensive piece of machinery that requires a trained technician to operate it. As a result, flow cytometers are typically restricted to large urban centres and are mainly inaccessible to HIV patients in developing nations."
"In Canada, those who live in remote communities must send vials of blood away to be tested, with results taking up to two weeks to process."
"In contrast, Dou's portable cytometer works like a diabetes test. A pinprick of blood is placed on the disposable cartridge and inserted into the handheld device, which counts the CD4 cells and produces results in 10 to 15 minutes."
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original source
Toronto Star