A USB key to detect HIV

A new object in the field of connected health has just appeared. This USB stick is able to detect the HIV virus and give a result in half an hour.

A team of scientists from Imperial College London, UK, in collaboration with UK-based DNA Electronics specializing in biotechnology, have developed a USB flash drive capable of detecting the AIDS virus in a drop of blood. It delivers very reliable results in just 30 minutes.

A USB key to detect the presence of HIV in the blood

For some time, connected health has become more and more important and objects are multiplying. There's something on the market that keeps track of weight, heart health, temperature, and so on. And with great precision. Some people see these objects as gadgets that you could do without. Objets come out of the lot and can be of public utility, it is the case of the USB key that come to develop British researchers, which will prove very useful. It allows in half an hour to detect if a person has the AIDS virus and what is the rate of HIV in his blood whereas this test generally takes several days following the method in the laboratory.


A single drop of blood is enough on this key equipped with a computer chip. Simply insert it into a computer for detailed results. This alternative method makes it possible to detect quickly and at low cost if a person is infected. Researchers are hopeful that this technology will soon be available to screen for other infectious diseases or serve as a self-help tool such as those available to determine its glucose level for example.

Reliable results :

In addition, this new object will facilitate the follow-up of treatment of people affected by HIV. By measuring the level of virus present in their blood, it is possible to determine the effectiveness of a treatment and to adapt it if necessary. "HIV treatments have evolved considerably over the past 20 years, to the point that many patients can lead a normal life. But monitoring its viral load is critical to successful treatment. Today, this requires complex and expensive equipment. Thanks to our work, we were able to reduce the size of a photocopier in a USB stick, "said one of the authors of the study, Dr. Graham Cooke, who is part of the Department of Medicine, Imperial College.
The first tests are very promising, the researchers were able to obtain reliable results to 95%.

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