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elisa test then wb
#56639 - 01/28/03 10:31 PM
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Hello,
I went for a regular HIV test at my doctors office. The test wasn't positive but "reactive" so the doctor then did a Western Blott test on the same sample which turned out to be negative.
Can I believe the Western Blott negative result or should I take another test?
What happened that that happened? It made me go crazy.
I was seeing someone, we broke up about 8 months ago and I just got around to testing because I never thought that he had cheated on me and we never used condoms (i am on the pill). I found out later he did cheat on me and thats why I got tested ASAP!
Please advise me - my doctor is my family practioner - and I think he is great but should I go elsewhere and retest?
I have read about the window period and I am past it but am still crazy over having to have the Western Blott - why couldn't it have been negative on the first test?!!!!
Now I am more afraid than ever that one of the tests is correct and the other one is wrong - but which one? My doctor said he has seen this before and it is nothing to freak out about. He couldn't say why it happens but it does and that I am OK and I am negative for HIV.
I'd like opinions please.
Thank you so much -
Carol from Texas
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Your doctor is correct even if the Elisa shows reactive (same thing as positive), if the Western Blot is negative (non-reactive), then you are indeed negative.
The ELISA is a screening test and was developed to make sure anyone with HIV shows reactive. It's not as sensitive to just HIV antibodies as the WB so it does produce false positives from time to time. But, better false positives once in a while, that can be confirmed, then false negatives.
Different things can cause it to react, and in some people it seems to be their body chemistry, because they always test positive, and their WB's always test negative. The WB is much more sensitive to just HIV antibodies. Because of this it makes an excellent confirmation test, because it won't show reactive to people that don't have the HIV antibodies.
Think of the testing procedures as a job interview. Some companies perform 2 interviews before hiring someone. People send in their resumes (the pool of people worried about being infected). Some will be chosen to bring in for interviews. (People that don't let the fear of having HIV keep them from testing.)
The ELISA is like the 1st round of interviews. A lot of people may make it to the first round, but are eliminated (tested negative) during the interview where the general questions are asked.
For those that make it to the second round (tested positive) the 2nd interview has more tougher, more specific questions about job knowledge, work performance, work history. All but one person will be eliminated from the 2nd round (test negative on WB). Only one person will be hired. (Test positive on ELISA and WB and is indeed HIV positive).
You don't need to retest again. The WB is considered the final word. If it's negative, you are negative.
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