The world's first home "pap smear", a medical examination women are advised to undergo annually to detect signs of cervical cancer, is the brainchild of microbiologists Andreas Karas and Jonathan Keytel.

"We chose a pap smear alternative as many women find the process for collecting the smear embarrassing and so neglect to screen or do not have easy access to screening facilities," Keytel said.

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide (after breast cancer) and about half a million cases occur annually. It is also one of the most preventable if signs of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) are detected at an early stage.

"A large proportion of the world's women do not for various reasons have regular pap smear examinations. Women aren't screening themselves, yet the technology is there," Keytel told AFP.

The Sen-C-Test

The home kit, dubbed Sen-C-Test, is a unique combination of two proven methodologies ? a self-sampling or DIY collection method and a laboratory test to detect certain strains of the high risk HPV, the main cause of cervical cancer.

"The innovation is new. We have taken proven methodologies and combined it into one product. It is especially novel because it is a self-sample test," Keytel said.

The Sen-C-Test kit contains a test tube with a clear solution and can be bought from a pharmacy for R30 (less than four dollars).

The woman inserts a regular tampon for three to eight hours, a week before the start of her menstruation cycle, and then removes and places the tampon into the test tube. The tube contains a special solution which protects and seals the cervical and vaginal cells on the tampon.

The tube is returned to the pharmacy from where it is sent to a laboratory to test for signs of HPV at a cost of about R400 (R50). The test has a 96 percent accuracy rate.

The results are sent to the patient within 10 days by whichever means she has specified on a form in the kit ? via fax, email, phone or a doctor's appointment.

Idea originated from KwaZulu-Natal

The idea for the home kit originated from Karas' experience in eastern KwaZulu-Natal province a few years ago where he used tampon sampling for diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases.

"We particularly want to target those women who are not currently going for regular pap smears. This will allow them to establish whether or not they're at high risk of developing cervical cancer," Keytel said.

In South Africa, more than 4600 cases were reported in 2000 of which 52 percent resulted in deaths. The United States has approximately 12 900 new cases and 4400 deaths each year.

Majority of women prefer doing test at home

Market research showed that 81 percent of women would prefer to do the test in the privacy of their own homes, instead of visiting a gynaecologist who uses a small spatula and brush to scrape for cells against the cervix, the lower portion of the uterus.

But embarrasment and discomfort are not the only reasons for the lack of regular check-ups.

"In Muslim countries, men often forbid their wives to go to the gynaecologist," Keytel said.

Although the product is currently only available in South Africa where it was launced in December, expansion into the international market is in the pipeline.

"We have received a lot of positive feedback from all parts of the world. We are also hoping to expand to the Middle East but we will probably wait at least another year for that," Keytel said.

Asked how the medical fraternity has received the new product, he said: "For the most part they welcome it, although some doctors feel we are invading their territory.

"But our real aim is to target those women who don't go for screening, and then when they detect the cancer it is too late."