Antibodies make self-diagnosing easy

Self-diagnose home kits are becoming increasingly popular. During the last decade a growing list of home test kits, which are based on antibodies or antigens, have rapidly approached the market. Here are a few examples:
 
Health monitoring tests:

1. Family planning: Pregnancy home tests have been around since the late 1970s. Ovulation tests are now also available.
2. Cholesterol home tests
3. Blood typing self-test kits
4. Home tests for allergies towards food, dust mite, pet animals or grass pollen
5. Home drug tests for marijuana, cocaine, opiates or methamphetamine

 
Disease diagnosis tests:

1. HIV home tests
2. Home tests for various genital diseases have reached the market: Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Chlamydia and yeast infections.
3. Other common diseases: Dengue fever, Malaria and Hepatitis C

 
Environmental test kits:

1. Rapid test kits for detection of contaminated soil or water, presence of pesticides, algal toxins in water, bacterial contamination in drinking water, or presence of mold.

 
Antibodies used in these applications are polyclonal or monoclonal.