Your HIV Test Results: What Does a 0.184 Value Mean? - Internal Medicine

Dr. Liao Zhongxin reply Internal Medicine

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The methods for HIV testing are as follows:
(I) Preliminary Screening Tests
1.
Prior to screening, health education should be provided, including: reasons for screening, assessment of infection risk, explanation of transmission routes, clarification of confidentiality regarding test results, legal reporting obligations, and responsibilities for providing information about contacts.
2.
Consent from the individual being tested must be obtained before screening.
Consent can be in written or verbal form.
Blood collection should proceed only after obtaining the individual's consent.
3.
Screening methods: The Enzyme-Linked Immuno-sorbent Assay (ELISA) or the Particle-Agglutination Method (PA) can be used for testing.
Additionally, there are commercially available screening kits that test for both antigen and antibody simultaneously.
4.
Testing reagents: The testing reagents must be capable of detecting both HIV-1 and HIV-2.
5.
Testing units: The testing must be conducted at facilities accredited by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) of the Department of Health.
6.
The individual being tested does not need to fast; approximately 5cc of venous blood is required.
7.
Blood specimens collected during the same blood draw will be tested in the laboratory.
If two positive reactions are obtained, this constitutes a preliminary positive screening result.
If the preliminary screening result is positive, a confirmatory test should be conducted.
(II) Confirmatory Testing
1.
After a preliminary positive screening result, it is recommended to verify the identity of the individual and draw blood again for confirmatory testing.
If a second blood draw is not possible, the specimen from the initial screening can be used for the confirmatory test.
2.
Screening methods:
(1) Western Blot Test (WB): This is applicable for adults and adolescents aged 18 months and older.
A positive result must be reported legally.
If the preliminary screening is positive but the Western Blot is negative or indeterminate (I), testing should be repeated after three months.
In cases where there is a high clinical suspicion of HIV infection, such as in high-risk groups or pregnant women, a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test may be conducted.
(2) Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR):
A.
For individuals aged 18 months and older, if the PCR test is positive, it should be sent to the CDC laboratory for re-testing.
If both test results are positive, it must be reported legally.
B.
For individuals younger than 18 months, samples should be taken at two different time points, and if the CDC laboratory confirms the PCR is positive, it must be reported legally.
From the above, if you have only undergone one ELISA screening and have engaged in high-risk behaviors or shared needles, it is recommended that you undergo a second ELISA and a Western Blot test.

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Reply Date: 2022/03/17