Rapid Oral Test for Therapeutic Response in HIV/AIDS Patients

This study has been designed to evaluate a new oral test for therapeutic monitoring of HIV/AIDS patients that are receiving the combination Anti-Retroviral Therapy (cART). The test will measure saliva-based Stress Response Profiling(SRP) biomarkers using laboratory assays. Results of the test will show if HIV/AIDS patients successfully responded to cART. Preliminary studies showed that SRP biomarkers were strongly increased in cART-unresponsive AIDS patients. However, the diagnostic accuracy of the oral test, patients will be recruited to donate saliva: AIDS patients responsive or unresponsive to cART, and controls (acute or early HIV patients, and HIV-negative patients with hepatitis). The saliva samples will be used to measure SRP biomarker concentrations. Results will show whether the biomarker measurements provide accurate and specific diagnostics for ART response.