Saliva test could give 'HIV results in 20 minutes'

Canadian researchers have said a saliva test could speed up the detection of the HIV virus.

A study by the McGill University Health Centre has demonstrated the efficiency of rapid tests which can produce the results in as little as 20 minutes.

The results, which are published in PLoS medicine, resulted from testing on 1,222 mothers on labour wards in India. They were tested using both saliva and blood samples and the saliva tests identified 11 women who were HIV-infected.

After administration of antiretroviral drugs ten babies survived and were found to be HIV negative.

Dr Pant Pai, study leader, said in a statement that many women in India do not get prenatal care including HIV testing during pregnancy.

"In such cases, it is vital to determine the HIV status of the mother very quickly to prevent transmission to the child during delivery. Testing in the labour ward is the last chance to prevent HIV transmission to the newborn baby," said Dr Pai.

The World Health Organisation estimates that over 500,000 children under 15 years of age become infected with HIV every year, mainly through mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.