Fast and cheap tests for hepatitis C are accurate too: study

The analysis has been published in the current issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine,and could lead to changes in practices and ultimately impact the control of hepatitis C. “Despite being cost-effective and a time-saving alternative to conventional laboratory tests,their global uptake partly depends on performance,” Pai told The Indian Express.

The estimated worldwide mortality from hepatitis C is 0.5 to 1.2 million deaths a year.

The researchers reviewed accuracy of the available rapid diagnostic and point-of-care tests on oral fluid,whole blood and serum. They evaluated 19 studies worldwide and found that point-of-care tests of blood had the highest accuracy. “Given their accuracy,convenience and quick turnaround time,these tests may be useful in expanding first-line screening for hepatitis C,” Pai said.

For conventional tests,it takes 10 days for the results from the laboratories. The rapid and point-of-care tests involve swabbing one’s mouth for a saliva sample or taking a finger-prick sample,and placing the test device 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,” says Pai,the senior author.

“First-generation point-of-care tests are convenient,effective and informative for clinical decision making,” says Sushmita Shivkumar,lead author of the study and a medical student at McGill University.