testing w/ ehiv or other sites using quest? - TheBody.com's Bulletin Boards

There are a couple of sites that you can arrange to go and have a blood drawn for a hiv test at a local Quest Diagnostics. Some of these sites say that they use "1st generation" (and they tell you to test at 3 and 6 months) testing and others "3rd generation" ( conclusive at 3 months)...

Well Quest says....Thank you for your inquiry to Quest Diagnostics, the leading provider
of
clinical laboratory testing, services, and information.
The results that your physician obtained actually are those of an HIV
test.
HIV-1 is the name of the virus that causes AIDS. AB stands for
"antibodies".
"EIA" stands for "Enzyme ImmunoAssay", the method used to measure the
antibodies.
Currently, there are no "generations" or versions associated with HIV
antibody tests. According to the manufacturer of the HIV-1 antibody
test
kit used by Quest Diagnostics, approximately 50% of individuals who
will
convert to a positive HIV test result, confirmed by Western blot, will
do so
by 25 days after exposure. Ninety five to 99% of individuals will
convert
by the end of two months. Claims from different manufacturers vary
slightly, with all claims stating the time to conversion falling within
one
or two weeks of each other. The similarity in test performance among
the
different test kits does not merit the assignment of different
generations
to these test kits.
Sincerely Yours,
Samuel B. Reichberg, M. Phil., M.D., Ph.D., F.C.A.P.
Corporate Clinical Pathologist
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
One Malcolm Avenue
Teterboro, NJ 07608

Just a little insight....

Post Extras: Remind Me!