A Caution About Rapid HIV Testing

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I'm an HIV epidemiologist. I'd like to point out an inaccuracy in this article.
The phrase "imagine if you were told you're HIV positive and later learn that you actually don't have the virus" is misleading. Rapid HIV tests do not by themselves diagnose HIV infection, and replace only one step in the process of diagnosing HIV infection. I very much doubt that people with reactive rapid test results were told they had HIV infection; if they were, it was not accord with how such tests are to be used.
HIV antibody testing follows an algorithm. Blood is tested using a test called an EIA, which is sensitive (that is, it is very likely to detect HIV antibodY when it is present in the blood) but not terribly specific (that is, a reactive result doesn't guarantee that antibody is present). If a blood specimen tests reactive by EIA, another EIA is run. If that EIA is reactive, a second type of test is run, generally the Western Blot. This test is more costly to run. It's also highly specific; therefore, a positive result by Western Blot confirms a diagnosis of HIV infection.
The rapid test is an EIA, so by itself shouldn't result in a patient being told that he or she has HIV. That patient should be counseled to seek confirmatory testing, or better still, blood should be drawn from that patient to be sent for testing.
Receiving a reactive preliminary HIV result from a rapid test is distressing, because most people who do so are indeed HIV infected. Receiving a negative result from confirmatory testing must be maddening--simultaneously causing relief and frustration. For this reason it is vital for manufacturers and regulators to keep the number of reactive rapid results in people who do not have antibodies to HIV as low as possible. That said, it is the responsibility of clinicians to ensure that patients fully understand the nature of the tests they undertake and the meaning of their results. As you see, the nature of these tests, while not bafflingly complex, does require precise explanation. By using accurate information the news media can play a useful role in helping the public understand issues such as these.

Edward White of CT 11:01PM September 28, 2010

After coming down with severe stomach problems, my GI doctor recommended an HIV test. After the bloodwork was taken, he said it may take up to 7-10 days for results. How am I supposed to focus on work, my family, my life with a test like that hanging over my head? The worry made my stomach problems that much worse. I personally think with today's technology it's inhumane to have someone wait that long for a blood test result. Even though I had the blood work done, I still went out on my own and used the RAPID saliva test. Turns out I was negative. I would rather pay $ for piece of mind than worry with tears for several days. I expect the blood work to emulate the RAPID test.

Casey of TX 5:22PM July 06, 2010

I am 17 years old and two days ago I went to my local Health Clinic for Birth Control and decided to get an HIV test. I had taken a test 7 months earlier but just wanted to make sure my body was in its best shape. I took the finger prick test and despite my test being done in 20 mins I waited for the nurse to give me my results back. About 40 mins passed and she informed me that my test came back positive with slight traces. I of course was destraught but wanted to take another test. Another 20 mins passed and my results came back negative. No one should have to go through the stress that I have been going through. I had a false positive HIV test and if I hadnt begged for another test my health care provider would have sent me to a specialist. I've been researching the causes that affect HIV tests and something as simple as a recent cold can cause your test to be positive. I also found the more false positives occur on rapid hiv tests than actual positives. The test has to be sensitive so that there are no false negatives. I have absolutely no confidence in this test and would recommend the Western Blot test for anyone. Yes its nice to get your results right away..but its better to get accurate results!!!

of NJ 4:13PM December 17, 2008

I recently got tested over in Iraq for HIV and it was done with a RAPID test. Just like the article says my test came back in 20 minutes and it was negative. I even dragged my friend up there with me so he could get tested. At first he was hesitant but i explained the importance of knowing to him and he comprehended I was just trying to help him. I think ost people just don't want to know if they have anything because they are scared of the outcome. I told myself after today's test I would stress the importance of people getting tested and protecting themselves. Sex is a grwon up decision with life threatening consequences and I definately larned my lesson when it comes to being with one partner and using a condom at ALL times. Well I said what was on my mind. Hope this helps someone

MR. LADDIE of NY 3:21PM December 11, 2008

I'm still waiting to hear if they're on the open market, but I understand that Calypte Biomedical makes about the most accurate test out there. It has been approved in some countries. Their rate of false positives are virtually nil.
Their rate of false negatives, likewise.

Terence Maness of WV 6:04PM September 02, 2008

Advanced Alternative HIV Treatment Bio-Tech
Planet earth is technologically advanced and developed more than ever before. Electricity, Nuclear, DNA, Electromagnetic Radiation, Oxygen is all being used to treat and cure several viral infections in hospitals and clinics but unfortunately none of such technologies have ever been widely used on HIV.
Some say, the above technologies are too expensive to be adopted in Africa, some say they don’t know if the technology would work on HIV.
Here at Savec Health Systems in Belfast UK, we researched and developed alternative medicines commonly used for treatment of viral infections. One of our products is omnivir, a medical device that generates antiviral active oxygen, also known as medical ozone.
HIV, just like any other retro-virus has a lipid protective skin which is vulnerable to active antiviral oxygen / medical ozone . Once the HIV protective skin is damaged, the virus will be inhibited and rendered unproductive thus it cant make more copies or replicate itself and it eventually dies.
Active oxygen deactivates and eventually kills the HIV by destroying its protective skin. Using omnivir medicine properly will help to reduce the HIV viral load in the body, enabling the body to fight opportunistic infections on its own. Omnivir gas is quickly absorbed into the whole body and lymph, even into the bone marrow where it acts against the viruses. The active oxygen’s destructiveness nature on HIV, virus and bacteria is partly attributed to the oxidation (burning of viruses) of unsaturated bonds in the phospholipids and lipoprotein architecture of the bacteria, viruses. All viruses cant live in oxygen , (they breathe nitrogen) , thus surrounding them with highly active form of oxygen / medical ozone will quickly inactivate and kill them.
Because omnivir gas can oxidise (burn) a wide spectrum of ailment causing organisms (pathogens), it is therefore very helpful for recovery from AIDS and Opportunistic Infections. When a patient is diagnosed with AIDS, literally she will be suffering from several conditions, from karposi skin cancer to diarrhoea (see HIV symptoms). Omnivir gas technology has been successfully used to treat majority of those AIDS conditions, some therapist across the world reporting 99.99% remission success rate, see www.savechealthsystems.com/omnivir.html for more information.
Omnivir treatment gas does not only kill HIV or opportunistic infections, but also helps to boost the immune systems by raising the CD4 count. The immune system contains different types of cells that help protect the body from infection. One of these types of specialized cells are called the CD4 or T-cells. HIV attacks these types of cells and uses them to make more copies / multiply. And in doing so, HIV weakens the immune system, making it unable to protect the body from illness and infection. The less the CD4 cell count the more you are susceptible to AIDS causing infections. Using omnivir will h

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Adesuwa Izekor of FL 4:22PM July 16, 2008

For the home testing kit there is also an Express version of the Home Access kit that is slightly more expensive but comes with a pre-paid FedEx envelope for mailing your blood sample to the laboratory. This cuts the test results time down to the next day. I would hate for people to opt out of the home test option thinking that it will always take a week for the results.

PharmacistMike of FL 5:38AM June 24, 2008