Qualitative and Quantitative HIV RNA Detection in Saliva Using the Oragene RNA Kit

There is an important need for a rapid, non-invasive, sensitive and specific method for detection of HIV RNA, particularly in clinical settings in which patients at risk for HIV exposure are assessed and screened. A rapid and non-invasive method for quantitative testing of HIV RNA would be also valuable to monitor suppression of HIV RNA as a primary surrogate marker of combination antiretroviral therapy efficacy. An Ottawa-based biotech company (DNA Genotek Inc) has developed and sells to research and clinical labs world-wide a kit (Oragene� DNA Self-collection kit) that permits the collection, stabilization at room temperature, and purification of DNA present in saliva. They have recently developed a kit (Oragene��RNA) that is purported to stabilize RNA in saliva, a non-invasive source of a biological fluid.