{
  "abstract": "Background and aimsHIV continues to pose a substantial worldwide public health burden, and achieving the UNAIDS 95–95-95 goals depends on diagnostics that are reliable, rapid, and inexpensive. Because of its exceptional specificity and adaptable design, the CRISPR-Cas platform has emerged as an attractive option for nucleic acid detection. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of CRISPR-Cas-based assays for HIV-1, aiming to clarify their suitability for point-of-care testing and resource-limited settings.MethodsWeb of Science, PubMed, and CNKI were searched through August 12, 2026. We included original studies that applied CRISPR-Cas assays to detect HIV-1 nucleic acids and reported sufficient data to construct 2 × 2 tables (TP, FP, FN, TN), with RT-qPCR for HIV-1 RNA or qPCR for HIV-1 DNA serving as the reference standard. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and SROC curves were generated using a bivariate random-effects model. Subgroup analyses and meta-regression were performed to investigate heterogeneity.ResultsNine studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled sensitivity was 0.96 (95% CI 0.90–0.98) and the pooled specificity was 0.98 (95% CI 0.93–1.00), with an AUC of 0.99. The I2 statistic revealed low heterogeneity (11.82% for sensitivity and 8.91% for specificity). Publication bias was not statistically significant (Deeks’ test, p = 0.925). When stratified by Cas protein, Cas12a yielded a sensitivity of 0.97 and a specificity of 0.98, while Cas13a showed a sensitivity of 0.93 and a specificity of 0.99. However, each subgroup comprised only four to five studies, and between-subgroup differences were not formally examined. The use of fluorescence readout did not significantly influence accuracy (p > 0.05). Studies using RPA/RAA amplification achieved accuracy comparable to the overall pooled estimates.ConclusionIn selected studies, CRISPR-Cas-based assays showed high sensitivity and specificity for HIV-1, but clinical equivalence to qPCR remains unproven. When combined with RPA/RAA isothermal amplification, it holds promise as a rapid, accurate point-of-care testing (POCT) tool. Nevertheless, limited studies and methodological concerns highlight the need for further multicenter validation and real-world implementation data.Systematic review registrationThis systematic review and meta-analysis was registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF). The registration DOI is 10.17605/OSF.IO/AUTV8.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "Systematic Review",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 4,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Hongyang Hu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiang Zhang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiaoxue Wu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Xiangying Zhang"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5em5hp1061r4g.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fmicb.2026.2018751",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "5em5hp1061r4g",
  "issns": [
    "1664-302X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.2018751",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "feed-journal",
      "biology/microbiology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-09",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5em5hp1061r4g.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T06:20:05Z",
      "native_id": "10.3389/fmicb.2026.2018751",
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      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2026.2018751"
    },
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:22:57Z",
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    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "feed-journal:biology/microbiology",
      "subfield": "microbiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Accuracy of CRISPR/Cas-based nucleic acid detection for HIV-1: a systematic review and meta-analysis",
  "title_text": "Accuracy of CRISPR/Cas-based nucleic acid detection for HIV-1: a systematic review and meta-analysis",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-10T00:21:32Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5em5hp1061r4g",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Microbiology",
  "versions": []
}