Sentinel testing for the human immunodeficiency virus antibody at the Murray Street Clinic, Perth, Western Australia

Sentinel testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection aims to monitor the HIV epidemic by testing subgroups of the population, and such testing has been carried out at the Murray Street Clinic in Perth, Western Australia since August 1989. This clinic is part of the State Health Department and is dedicated to the diagnosis, management and control of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in Western Australia. Sentinel testing at this clinic is both voluntary and confidential. In the first 6 months of testing at the clinic, 2351 new patients were seen and 3000 HIV antibody tests were performed. The refusal rate for participation was 8%. No patient tested as a sentinel test or because of multiple heterosexual partners was HIV antibody positive. The first 6 months of sentinel testing at the Murray Street Clinic does not indicate a silent HIV infection in the self-selected sexually active group of people using the facilities of the clinic.