The province will be helping researchers develop a single, low-cost combined test for HIV, syphilis and herpes in concert with Richmond-based bioLytical Laboratories.

The test will be inexpensive, quick to administer and easy to interpret, said minister of small business and technology Iain Black.

It will involve a single finger-prick blood sample and return a result in 60 seconds.

Having syphilis or genital herpes multiplies the risk of contracting HIV by creating microscopic lesions through which HIV can enter the bloodstream.

Some 86 million people around the world are believed to have genital herpes, there are about 12 million cases of syphilis, and some 33 million people have HIV around the world.

BioLytical Laboratories has already developed an HIV test kit that don't require the sending of samples to a lab, which has revolutionized voluntary testing and counselling.

The $1.39 million project, including $220,000 from the province and $200,000 in materials from bioLytical Labs, is supported by a $3 million program announced by Victoria last year.

BioLytical will host a young researcher from St. John's Research Institute in Bangalore, India, to help develop the test kit, and in return, a student from Canada will go to India as part of the team piloting the test kit and software.

The project is expected to be completed by late 2011.