Oral AIDS Test

Testing the presence of HIV Antibodies, in the mucosal secretions, derived from the person’s gums, can be a favourable alternative to conventional tests for HIV, or any other painful blood test. This fluid has all those components which are there in our blood. Thus, it provides enough scope to test the existence of HIV antibodies. This fluid should not be mistaken as saliva. Saliva is not a carrier of HIV virus. But good traces of the virus are available from mucosal fluid.

The Invention:

OraSure Technologies, to simplify the elaborate and time-consuming process of HIV testing, invented this instrument. This is the only accurate and approved oral testing method since September 2006. An oral aid testing does not enable the detection of HIV virus. It only finds the presence of HIV antibodies in the mucosal fluid.

Process involved:

The process of oral aids testing involves the use of a fluid specimen called Oral Mucosal Transudate (OMT) which resides within the tissues of the gums and cheeks. OMT is obtained by placing a chemically treated pad in between the patient’s lower gums and inner part of the lower cheek. This pad is placed within a plastic casing, which contains substances with the make up of HIV antigens, to locate the presence HIV antibodies within the sample OMT.

How it works

An Aware Messenger Device is used to take the specimen of mucosal fluid with the help of a clean swab made of absorbent material that helps in bringing out the HIV antibodies from the gum. After the initial rubbing of the swab with the gum, and leaving it inside the mouth for two minutes, the fluid on the swab is blended with the Aware Messenger sample tube, containing chemicals like stabilizing agents, preservatives and immunoassay-friendly detergents. These chemicals enable the testing of the fluid that is preserved and taken for a further laboratory test.

Advantages of Oral AIDS Testing

• It is based on immunosorbent assay Western Blot algorithm.
• Involves noninvasive specimen collection
• No involvement of blood test means, less risk for the medical care person and less pain for the patient
• It is a very comfortable process, scientific and accurate process.
• This method helps in preserving the sample of fluid for a longer period of time, so that it can be tested a number of times later on.
• It is compatible for immunoassay

This method checks the possibility of blood contact and accidental blood exchange between the health care worker and the patient, through contaminated syringe. It also reduces the pain that is involved in traditional blood test. Hence, Oral aids test is a very safe method. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this method of testing HIV on June 2007. Since then, this method is broadly used.

The disadvantage of this method is, it cannot be administered at home, as in requires laboratory setup for the final testing of the fluid. The sample has to be transported to a lab in order to get tested. This testing may not yield a quick result, as for many days after the test is conducted, antibodies may not be located, in case the patient is a very new prey to HIV.