Articles by Annette Njinda in JoVE

The α-test: Rapid Cell-free CD4 Enumeration Using Whole Saliva

JoVE 3999 5/16/2012

Cynthia L. Bristow¹, Mariya A. Babayeva¹, Rozbeh Modarresi¹, Carole P. McArthur², Santosh Kumar³, Charles Awasom⁴, Leo Ayuk⁴, Annette Njinda⁵, Paul Achu⁵, Ronald Winston⁶

¹Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, ²Department of Oral Biology, University of Missouri-Kansas City-School of Dentistry, ³Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Missouri Kansas City- School of Pharmacy, ⁴Regional Hospital, Bamenda, NWP, Cameroon, ⁵Mezam Polyclinic HIV/AIDS Treatment Center, Cameroon, ⁶Institute for Human Genetics and Biochemistry

A CD4 enumeration method, the α-test, is described which uses whole saliva to provide rapid and accurate CD4 counts. The α-test costs pennies and eliminates the need for technical training, costly reagents such as monoclonal antibodies, instrumentation, refrigeration, transport of samples, as well as collection and handling of blood.