Rapid, cheap HIV test finds success as first of its kind tested in the field

The first field trial for a �lab on a chip� accurately detected both HIV and syphilis among a Rwandan population, researchers reported Sunday.

Blood samples injected into the clear plastic, credit card-shaped device produced results within 20 minutes. This kind of test could offer a faster, cheaper and easier way to detect infectious diseases that afflict developing countries, according to the report published online by Nature Medicine.