HIV Positive? Depends on Where You Live...

Owned by Alex
Last updated: Mar 26, 2024
2 min read

Author

  • Valendar Turner

Publisher

  • VirusMyth

Category

  • HIV Tests

Topic

  • HIV Test Accuracy

Article Type

  • Editorial Article

Publish Year

  • -

Meta Description

  • HIV positivity varies by location due to different test standards worldwide. The HIV Western blot, a key test, is not standardized globally, causing discrepancies.

Summary

  • The content discusses the HIV Western blot test, which is used to detect HIV infection. The test consists of a strip with proteins unique to HIV, and if antibodies are present, the corresponding protein band will light up. However, the interpretation of the test varies across countries, with different combinations of bands considered positive. This means that a positive test in one country may not be positive in another. The test is considered highly specific, but when using US FDA criteria, less than 50% of US AIDS patients are HIV positive, while 10% of non-AIDS patients are also positive. Overall, the content highlights the variability in HIV test results depending on where a person lives.

Meta Tag

  • HIV Positive

  • 2.HIV Western blot

  • Specific

  • Infection

  • US FDA criteria

  • AIDS

  • Nitrocellulose strip

  • Antibodies

  • Protein

  • Standardised

  • Test standards

  • Location

Featured Image

 

Featured Image Alt Tag

  • Keyword of the image

Source by Valendar Turner

The HIV Western Blot Test

The HIV Western blot consists of a thin nitrocellulose strip in which are embedded proteins claimed to be unique to HIV. Each protein is labelled with a 'p' followed by its molecular weight in thousands. Serum is added to the strip and if there are antibodies to a particular protein this band will 'light up'.

The HIV Western blot is not standardised and thus around the world different combinations of bands are considered positive. Hence a positive test in one country is not positive in another. An African would not be positive in Australia. A person from the MACS would not be positive anywhere in the world including Africa. Yet the HIV Western blot is considered to be highly specific and is considered synonymous with HIV infection.

According to data presented in Lundberg et al. (JAMA 260:674-679) when the US FDA criteria are used to interpret the HIV Western blot less than 50% of US AIDS patients are HIV positive whereas 10% of persons not at risk of AIDS are also positive by the same criteria.

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AFR = Africa; AUS = Australia; FDA = US Food and Drug Administration; RCX = US Red Cross; CDC = US Center for Disease Control; CON = US Consortium for Retrovirus Serology Standardization; GER = Germany; UK = United Kingdom; FRA = France; MACS = US Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study 1983-1992.

Source: Val Turner