AU Students Develop Kit to Detect Hidden HIV Infections

A major breakthrough in HIV research has emerged from Andhra University, where two postgraduate students have developed an advanced diagnostic kit capable of identifying latent HIV infections — a challenge that has long complicated HIV treatment and detection worldwide.

The innovative research was carried out by Madhuri Vissapragada, an MSc Human Genetics student, and Mythili Akella, an MSc Biotechnology student. The project was completed under the mentorship of Dr Ravikiran Yedidi, founder of TCABS-E Laboratories, which operates from the university’s Zoology Department incubation centre.

Hidden HIV Infections Remain a Global Challenge

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attacks the body’s immune system, particularly CD4+ T-cells, making individuals vulnerable to infections and diseases.

Existing diagnostic methods like RT-PCR and ELISA are effective in detecting active HIV infections circulating in the bloodstream. However, latent HIV infections are far more difficult to identify because the virus can hide within the human genome in an inactive state for extended periods.

Even after treatment, this dormant virus may reactivate later, leading to a recurrence of infection. Detecting these hidden viral reservoirs has remained one of the biggest obstacles in HIV research.

New Kit ‘CHIKIT-SA’ Uses CRISPR Technology

To tackle this issue, the research team created a new diagnostic system called CHIKIT-SA, short for CRISPR-based HIV Diagnostic Kit and Sample Analysis.

The kit is built using advanced CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology, which enables researchers to identify latent HIV present within infected cells. Scientists believe this approach could significantly improve early diagnosis and monitoring of hidden HIV infections.

According to Dr Ravikiran, who has more than two decades of experience in HIV and AIDS research, there are currently no widely available diagnostic kits specifically designed to detect latent HIV infections.

Clinical Testing Conducted at King George Hospital

The newly developed technology was reportedly tested using patient samples in collaboration with King George Hospital. Researchers said the initial results were encouraging and demonstrated the potential of the kit in detecting hidden HIV reservoirs.

The team has already filed a patent application for the technology and is preparing a scientific research paper for publication in international journals.

Medical experts say the development could contribute significantly to future HIV diagnosis methods and may eventually support efforts aimed at long-term HIV treatment and cure research.

The achievement has also brought recognition to Andhra University’s growing contribution to biotechnology and medical innovation in India.

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