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Ask the Experts about Women and HIV

 

Undetermined hiv test
Mar 17, 2003

I'm HIV+ and I have a 12 month old baby she was test for all her pcr dna and they came back negative. Now she tested for her first Elisa test and it can back undetermined. I'm confused on what the results will be. Help clarify my confusion.

Response from Dr. Luzuriaga

When adults are tested for HIV infection, we use the Elisa test to detect antibodies to HIV in the blood. We can not use this test in young babies because all HIV positive women pass HIV antibodies to their babies during the last 3 months of pregnancy. So, all babies born at full term to HIV positive women will have antibodies to HIV(positive Elisa) and it may take up to 18 months to clear the antibodies. The DNA PCR test is a test that detects the viral genes in the white blood cells of individuals with HIV infection. We use this test in young babies because it is a direct test for the virus. With several negative DNA PCR tests through 1 year of age, your child is likely uninfected. It is not surprising that the Elisa is still positive (or even indeterminate) -- these probably represent antibodies that she acquired from you. Your care provider will probably test for antibodies at 18 months -- I expect that the Elisa will be negative at that point.



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