The laboratory diagnosis of HIV infection

Testing for HIV is a procedure with possible dire consequences; hence, reports should not be rendered to the patient without appropriate counseling. And this must be based on firm information whether the individual is truly infected if the report is positive. The reactive results of the EIA screening test should always be confirmed by supplemental testing. However, it must be remembered that a nonreactive serum does not exclude the possibility of the individual being infected; only by additional research studies, such as the polymerase chain reaction, can one be sure that the patient is not in the phase in which antibodies have not yet developed but the virus is present and the patient can transmit the infection. Our studies have found that the accuracy of testing HIV serum specimens is excellent. The biggest problem may be the potential confusion caused by the laboratory reports. All clinicians (nurses, educators, and physicians) who counsel or test potential HIV patients must be sure that they understand their laboratory's report. If there is any doubt about the report content, it must be clarified by contacting the laboratory director. The results of HIV antibody testing are so important to the patient that the significance of the report must be crystal clear to the counselor and any possible ambiguity clarified.