The arm of a woman is seen as she takes a test on HIV by a nurse at the Condesa Clinic on World AIDS Day in Mexico City December 1, 2011. Condesa Clinic is specialized in the care of patients with HIV/AIDS.
Credits: REUTERS/Carlos Jasso
A Canadian study evaluated the accuracy of a widely used saliva test for HIV and found it to be comparable to traditional blood testing.
Researchers from McGill University in Montreal and Queen's University in Kingston, Ont., along with others, conducted a so-called meta-analysis, comparing data from previous studies conducted all over the world.
They found that the OraQuick HIV1/2 saliva test is 99% accurate for diagnosing HIV in high-risk populations, and about 97% in low-risk populations.
"Getting people to show up for HIV testing at public clinics has been difficult because of visibility, stigma, lack of privacy and discrimination. A confidential testing option such as self-testing could bring an end to the stigmatization associated with HIV testing," said Dr. Nitika Pant Pai, the study's lead author.
Pant Pai's work is supported by a Grand Challenges Canada Rising Star in Global Health award. The findings were published Tuesday in the journal The Lancet Infectious Diseases.
No saliva self-tests are currently authorized for home use in Canada.
