Wellness

New fast and cheap Hep C tests as reliable as lab tests

October 24, 2012

A research led by the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre has shown how rapid, point-of-care tests for hepatitis C are as reliable as the conventional laboratory tests. The tests can provide highly accurate results in 30 minutes and at a cost between $1 and $5. Conventional way of screening for hepatitis C is expensive and time-consuming.
The research, published in the current issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, was the first systematic review of global evidence on such tests, researchers from McGill University, Canada said.
‘Despite being cost-effective and a time-saving alternative to conventional laboratory tests, their global uptake partly depends on performance,’ Dr Nitika Pant Pai, clinical researcher and assistant professor in the university’s medicine department told The Indian Express.
Accuracy of the available rapid diagnostic and point-of-care tests on oral fluid, whole blood and serum was reviewed by the researchers by evaluating 19 studies worldwide. ‘Given their accuracy, convenience and quick turnaround time, these tests may be useful in expanding first-line screening for hepatitis C,’ Dr Pai said.
It takes 10 days for the results from conventional tests in laboratories. The rapid and point-of-care tests involve placing a saliva sample or a finger-prick sample in a solution to read results.
‘Researchers were able to determine that point-of-care and rapid tests in oral fluids and blood ranged in accuracy from 97 to 99 per cent,’ said Dr Pai. ‘First-generation point-of-care tests are convenient, effective and informative for clinical decision making,’ she added.
‘The new tests usually don’t need specialized equipment. Many do not even need electricity. These tests have the potential to be game changers on a global scale. It is now time to optimize their potential by integrating them in routine practice settings,’ concluded Sushmita Shivkumar, lead author of the study and a medical student at McGill University.