Portable test detects four STIs in under an hour
A portable ‘world-first’ diagnostic test can detect four common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in under an hour, potentially transforming testing access and treatment, especially in communities where laboratory services are limited.
The test, developed by researchers at the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity (Melbourne, Australia), simultaneously identifies syphilis, gonorrhea, herpes and chlamydia from urine or swab samples. Detailed in The Lancet Microbe, the technology is now moving into implementation trials, with hopes it could enter routine clinical care within 5 years.
Rapid and accurate STI diagnosis remains a major global challenge. Many infections present with similar symptoms but require very different treatments. For example, early syphilis often causes genital sores resembling those caused by herpes simplex virus. Without swift multi-pathogen testing, clinicians may rely on symptoms alone or test for only one infection, risking misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.
“Syphilis has long been known as the great mimicker. Correct treatment depends on correct diagnosis,” explained Dr Shivani Pasricha, Laboratory Head at the Doherty Institute and senior author of the paper. “This novel [test] enables accurate diagnosis and treatment immediately, without waiting days for laboratory testing or requiring multiple clinic visits.”
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According to the World Health Organization, there are over 1 million new STI cases every day among individuals aged 15–49 years old. The majority of these are asymptomatic. While accurate molecular diagnostic tests are widely used in high-income countries, they remain largely unavailable, expensive or inaccessible in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of STIs is often highest. Multi-infection diagnostics could improve treatment accuracy and limit ongoing transmission by shortening the time between testing and care, reducing STI impact on sexual and reproductive health worldwide.
The new test uses next-generation, multiplexed, CRISPR-based assays to detect and differentiate between DNA and RNA from multiple pathogens simultaneously, pinpointing the bacterial and viral causes of STIs. It can also identify an antibiotic-resistance marker in gonorrhea, an increasingly urgent concern amid antimicrobial resistance.
“This new device has been validated using 900 clinical samples, the largest set of STI samples reported globally for a CRISPR-based point-of-care device,” explained co-first author Matthew O’Neill.
Notably, when compared with gold-standard laboratory qPCR testing, the device showed 97–100% accuracy in correctly identifying negative results.
Because the test is portable and does not require laboratory infrastructure, it could be deployed in clinics, underserved communities and remote areas. Researchers say the technology also supports self-collected samples, potentially improving patient comfort and access to testing.
Researchers are now preparing real-world trials to evaluate how the device performs in clinical and primary care settings. If successful, it could become a routine point-of-care tool within 5 years, bringing faster, more accessible STI diagnostics to clinics and communities worldwide.
