Lateral flow HPV test could increase detection rates in resource-poor settings

A new point-of-care assay to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA requires just six user steps, gives results in under 45 minutes and costs less than $5 (£3.90) per test. Its developers hope it can fill a critical gap in resource-limited settings where the HPV rates are highest.

Despite the existence of a highly effective HPV vaccine and other prevention methods, cervical cancer continues to burden healthcare systems significantly, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Directly detecting viral DNA using nucleic acid amplification tests is more effective than cytological methods such as Papanicolaou tests, also known as pap smears. However, the availability of equipment, reagents and trained personnel, and the associated costs, have posed a challenge to implementing these methods in resource-poor environments.