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Review
. 2015 Apr;22(4):362-5.
doi: 10.1111/jvh.12385.

Where we are with point-of-care testing

A Johannessen  1
Affiliations
Review

Where we are with point-of-care testing

A Johannessen. J Viral Hepat. 2015 Apr.

Abstract

Viral hepatitis claims one million lives each year. Scaling up treatment for hepatitis B and C in resource-limited settings is not possible without access to reliable diagnostic tools. This article gives an overview of current technologies and the pipeline for easy-to-use assays for serological and virological analyses, which can be performed at the site of patient care ('point-of-care assays'). Furthermore, the utility of dried blood spots for hepatitis B and C viral load testing is discussed. In addition to simple and reliable diagnostics, there is a need for a sustainable funding scheme and generic production of antiviral drugs to reduce the burden of viral hepatitis worldwide.

Keywords: hepatitis B; hepatitis C; low-tech; resource-limited settings; viral load.

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