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 will be published Dec. 10 in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

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 8- to 12-week course of medication, treatment rates remain low partially due to lack of affordable and easily accessible diagnostic tests.