A groundbreaking point-of-care fingerstick test can now detect Hepatitis B virus (HBV) within an hour, according to a recent diagnostic study. This new Xpert HBV Viral Load test, utilizing fingerstick capillary blood, demonstrates accuracy and reliability comparable to established, more complex laboratory methods.
The World Health Organization aims to eliminate HBV as a public health threat by 2030, targeting 90% diagnosis and 80% treatment for those eligible. However, in 2022, only 14% of an estimated 260 million people with chronic HBV were diagnosed, and just 8% of eligible individuals received treatment. Current HBV DNA testing often involves multiple visits and centralized labs, delaying critical treatment decisions.
The new test, evaluated with 246 participants, successfully identified 97% of patients with HBV DNA levels above 100 international units (IU) per mL and 95.3% of those with levels above 2,000 IU/mL. It uses reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction technology for rapid viral load measurement.
Researchers highlight the test's potential to transform decentralized care, particularly benefiting resource-limited settings, remote populations, and prenatal screening for pregnant women with HBV. While genotype assessment and high viral load analysis require further data, the test's performance from fingerstick samples is deemed excellent.