Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.
Ask the Experts about Women and HIV
Adopting Child with initial positive then negative tests
Apr 14, 2006
We are considering adopting a child with the following results: 02/04 born;04/04 negative PCR HIV;07/04 negative PCR HIV;09/04 positive EIA to HIV;12/04 negative EIA to HIV;08/05 hiv monitoring stopped. What does it all mean?
Response from Dr. Luzuriaga
An EIA (enzyme immunoassay) detects antibodies (an immune response) to HIV while the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a test that detects HIV genetic material (DNA or RNA).
All HIV infected women have HIV antibodies and are EIA positive. During the last 3 months of pregnancy, women pass all of their antibodies (including antibodies to HIV) to their babies. However, only 25-30% pass the virus to their babies in the absence of antiviral therapy. If moms and babies receive antiviral therapy, transmission rates are much lower.
Since mothers pass antibodies to their babies and it may take up to 24 months for the babies to clear the antibodies, antibody tests (such as the EIA) can not be used to diagnose infection in young babies. We use the PCR test instead to look for pieces of viral DNA or RNA in the babies' blood. With two negative PCR tests (at 2 and 5 months of age), your baby is uninfected. This was confirmed by looking for disappearance of the antibodies from the baby's blood (negative EIA at 10 months of age).
Please remember that this forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not engaged through this
forum in rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible
for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Questions and messages posted to this forum are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of The Body, Body Health Resources Corporation or any sponsor of this
forum. While neither The Body nor Body Health Resources Corporation regularly reviews posted content, we reserve the right to delete, move, or
edit postings if we deem it appropriate under the circumstances. Visitors submitting questions remain solely responsible for the content of their
messages.
Information provided by experts is general only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease, or relied upon as
legal or other professional advice. This information is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health or legal problem, you should consult your own health care provider or your attorney.
