HIV AIDS INFORMATION

Simple Oral Test - FDA Approved - Latest Test
Purpose - Rapid(Quick) HIV Test.
It is a rapid HIV diagnostic test kit that provides screening results with over 99 percent accuracy in as little as 20 minutes. Until now, all rapid HIV tests required the use of blood in order to get such rapid results.

Enzyme Linked Immunoabsorbent Assay (ELISA)
Purpose - Initial Screening
A screening test for antibody reactive with HIV proteins. ELISA for HIV-1 or HIV-2 antigens then a Western blot is performed for a definative diagnosis of HIV infection. Antibody specific for HIV gp120 or gp160 (detectable within 4-8 weeks post-exposure). However in 5% of the patients antibodies may not be detectable for 6 months or more.

Immunoblotting or Western blotting
Purpose - Confirmation Test.
To determine the presence of HIV-specific antibody. To confirm positive ELISA tests.

Latex-agglutination assay (coated with HIV antigen)
Purpose - Initial Screening.
To determine the presence of HIV-specific antibody. A new screening test which is quicker than the ELISA.

p24 antigen
Purpose - Early Marker of Infection (detection of a recent infection).
This antigen is produced early in infection and is present in the patient's bloodstream. It is useful in detecting very recent infections and in detecting HIV infection in neonates of HIV infected mothers. Serological tests can not detect recently infected individuals.

Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR)
Purpose - Detection of virus in blood (detection of a recent infection).
To detect HIV RNA in plasma. To determine the presence of the HIV genome during the first 2-4 weeks of infection, when patients may be seronegative and yet are infective. It is also useful in detecting HIV infection in neonates. Now used in determining effectiveness of treatments. In concert with CD4 cell counts PCR helps in determining a patient's prognosis.