NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Molecular diagnostic testing is essential to identify mother-to-infant transmission of HIV. Although many benefits of decentralized early infant diagnosis have been postulated, field evaluations of point-of-care assays in high-burden areas have been lacking.

Researchers in Kenya have now demonstrated that a point-of-care test from Cepheid is substantially equivalent to a standard of care lab-based test, paving the way for more effectively delivery life-saving treatment to HIV infected babies.