Blood Test : HIV Antibody Screening Test

ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS) is a lethal disease caused by a virus known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Once infected, the body reacts by producing antibodies to the HIV virus. When the body is infected with HIV, antibodies are formed to fight the infection. The detection of these antibodies in a blood specimen is known as the HIV antibody test. The test is designed to reveal past or present infection with the AIDS virus. It is useful in several situations:

1. SCREENING POTENTIAL BLOOD DONORS

2. SCREENING POTENTIAL ORGAN DONORS

3. TESTING FOR INFECTION IN HIGH RISK GROUPS

*** REMEMBER ***

1. False positive tests do occur, and further testing may be necessary. False positive test results, in groups with NO obvious risk for AIDS, can be as high as 90% in some cases.

2. The time interval between actual viral infection (by blood transfusion or contaminated needlestick) and a positive HIV antibody screening test is approximately 3 months. This interval seems to be slightly longer (6 months) in those infected via sexual intercourse. Wide variations in this interval have been reported in all groups.

3. The incidence of acquiring HIV by a blood transfusion (donors who have tested negative), even in a large metropolitan area, is thought to be quite low. It has been estimated that the probability of a screened blood donor (tested negative for HIV) could actually be a carrier is 1 in 61,171 cases.

MEDICAL TESTS

Abdominal Ultrasound
Abdominal X-Ray
Allergy Testing
Amniocentesis
Amylase Blood Test
Angiodynography
Angiogram
Arterial Blood Gases
Arthrocentesis
Arthrogram
Barium Enema
Blood Chemistry
Blood Coagulation Test
Blood Cultures
Blood Glucose Test
Blood Test Smac 25
Bone Marrow Biopsy Aspiration
Cardiac Catheterization Angioplasty
Cardiac Enzymes
Cholesterol Blood Test
Complete Blood Count
CT Scanning Back
CT Scanning Chest Abdomen
Drug Levels
Glucose Tolerance Test
Hepatitis Blood Test
HIV Blood Test
Kidney Biopsy
Kidney Blood Test
Lipoproteins
Liver Biopsy
Liver Blood Test
Lymph Node Biopsy
Mononucleosis Test
Paracentesis
Peritoneal Lavage
Pregnancy Blood Test
Prostate Specific Antigen
Skin Biopsy
Spine X-Rays
Thyroid Biopsy
Thyroid Blood Test
Toxicology