Analytical performance and clinical usability of a low-cost vaginal swab for sensitive detection of high-risk human papillomavirus

Background

Cervical cancer remains a global health burden, with >600,000 new cases and 340,000 deaths reported in 2020. To reduce this burden, affordable and scalable human papillomavirus (HPV) diagnostics - ranging from at-home to centralized laboratory testing - are needed. Specimen collection plays a key role in analytical performance, sample integrity/stability, platform compatibility and user comfort.