Becton, Dickinson and Company has now unveiled the  BD FACSPresto, a near patient CD4 monitoring system that provides absolute and percentage results of CD4 T lymphocytes and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration in whole blood samples.

The device weighs  less than 7kgs and  is capable of testing samples from a single drop of capillary or venous blood and can work for 6 hours using in-built rechargeable battery, enabling testing even in remote settings.

National AIDA Research Institute (NARI), Pune conducted a product evaluation study on the new near patient CD4 Counter system on close to 150 samples and have claimed the accuracy of the tests after conducting a systematic study.  The Institute researchers found that the accuracy and precision levels of BD FACSPresto was equivalent to the current gold standard.

CD4 testing allows HIV/AIDS patients to have access to treatment and monitoring, reducing the probability of transmitting the infection to others and providing a plan for improved long-term care. Immediate treatment for infected individuals who meet medical guidelines can dramatically quell the spread of HIV, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This is particularly important as many new cases of HIV/AIDS are transmitted from people who are not aware they are infected.

The BD FACSPresto system expands the ability to stage and monitor HIV/AIDS patients close to their homes,  said Varun Khanna, managing director, BD India.

“In  India, we are confident this system will meet the needs of resource-limited settings in high prevalence states like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka  and North East states without compromising the standards of precision and assuring operators and patients a high degree of confidence in results,” he added.

India prevalence of HIV is  estimated 25 lakh  positive cases, out of which around  8.5 lakh  people are under the CD4 monitoring program.  Close to 90 per cent of the people are treated  by the NACO and the remaining from the private hospitals.

According to the BD, currently, HIV positives in India  have to access a  central Hospital or lab or ART center for drugs and get their CD4 count checked. This becomes a hindrance sometimes as they have to travel long distances, and patients are lost to follow-up.  

This is where a  point of care device can increase access of treatment. To operate a BD FACSPresto does not require skilled resources or infrastructure to generate reliable results quickly.