New 15-minute hepatitis C test paves the way for same-day treatment

​Published December 10, 2025 | Originally published on MedicalXpress Breaking News-and-Events
MDLinx

Scientists at Northwestern University have developed the fastest test yet for diagnosing hepatitis C virus (HCV). The highly accurate diagnostic delivers results to patients in just 15 minutes—up to 75% faster than other rapid HCV tests. This speed is crucial for kickstarting patients' treatment before they leave their appointment, potentially preventing painful, expensive complications and even death.

The research behind the new test was published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases in a paper titled "Development of a Rapid Automated Point-of-Care Test for Hepatitis C Viral RNA on the DASH(r) Rapid PCR System."

​HCV can lead to a chronic hepatitis C infection, which affects an estimated 50 million people globally and causes approximately 242,000 deaths annually, largely due to resulting cirrhosis and liver cancer. While the infection is curable with an eight to 12-week course of medication, treatment rates remain low partially due to lack of affordable and easily accessible diagnostic tests.

"We were able to develop a diagnostic test that can be performed at the point of care during a patient's clinical visit, which could enable same-day diagnosis and treatment in support of HCV elimination efforts," said Sally McFall, co-director of the Center for Innovation in Global Health Technologies (CIGHT) at Northwestern University McCormick School of Engineering, who developed the test.

The test has demonstrated excellent analytical and clinical performance, McFall said. It also could play a critical role in the World Health Organization's ambitious goal to eliminate HCV by 2030.

TO CONTINUE: https://www.mdlinx.com/news/new-15-minute-hepatitis-c-test-paves-the-way-for-same-day-treatment/K7bxNFfoVZnMDQbaptOfy?show_order=5&utm_campaign=reg_evening-edition_20260111_daily-nl-pm-v4_registered-users-a180-alls&utm_source=iterable&utm_medium=email