One expert's hope as rapid-test HIV, syphilis approved by Health Canada

A new dual testing kit for syphilis and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) approved in Canada has one expert hopeful it will increase awareness and encourage people to seek care.

When Health Canada approved the dual testing kits, Canada became the first country in North America to do so. The Multiplex HIV 1 and 2 Syphilis Antibody Test, which is manufactured by bioLytical Laboratories Inc. in B.C., can provide patients with results in about 60 seconds, using a drop of blood.

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The approval comes as both sexually transmitted infection (STI) cases are increasing across the country.

"It's a health public health crisis that we need to address," Dr. Sean Rourke, a scientist at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, told CTV's Your Morning on Thursday. "So we need these tests to actually reach people and get them tested (and) get them connected to care."

Syphilis, without treatment, can cause infections which could lead to neurological damage and even blindness. Congenital syphilis, which is syphilis that is transmitted to babies during birth, has increased 13-fold in a five-year span, Health Canada said.

HIV, without treatment, can progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and lead to serious infections. As of 2020, there were more than 62,000 people living with HIV the Public Health Agency of Canada estimates, a number expected to increase as treatment options improved.

With health professionals providing at-home testing kits, Rourke believes more people will know they need care and seek it out.

"It's treatable (syphilis) by penicillin - it costs pennies," Rourke said. "We need to get people connected to get tested and care. It's that simple."

The test kits found at care facilities across Canada can be distributed in remote communities, Rourke said, where residents may not have access to health care.

People using the kits will need to get a confirmation at a health care centre, Rourke said, providing the opportunity for them to interact with health professionals who can lead them to treatment.

"It's not the panacea for everything but it's a way to really establish that connection, because most of the people that we're trying to reach, they're not coming forward," Rourke said.

 

To hear more about the kits, click the video at the top of this article.