Different Types Of Hiv And Aids Tests

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Drug Level Testing

What Is Drug Level Testing? How Can TDM Help? Does TDM Work for All HIV Drugs? Difficulties With TDM When Can TDM Help? Future Directions What Is Drug Level Testing? It can be helpful to test a patient's blood to check the levels of a medication they are taking. Drug levels that are too high sometimes cause serious side effects. Levels that are too low might allow HIV to multiply and develop resistance. Testing drug levels is also...

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Confusing: so many different types of primers in EIA tests

Dr. Holodniy,What are the most sensitive and broadly reactive (for all HIV-1 subtypes) primers for an ELISA test?... I have read conflicting information, some say recombinant proteins, others say whole viral lysate and others still say synthetic...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Primers are NOT used in EIA tests. EIA tests utilize proteins or antigens to detect antibodies. Primers are small pieces of DNA that are used in molecular testing to detect HIV RNA or DNA in a sample, NOT antibodies.... Read more »

Different TYPES of tests

Hi doctor, I have been HIV+ for about 2 and a half years - still very healthy and no meds yet. I have had two sets of tests last month (one in France and one in South Africa) - only because South Africa's tests have been the initial reference...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Although those 3 sets of tests look like things are bouncing all over the place, they are within the variability of the assays. Plaquettes are platelets and those values are in the normal range. I don't know what VPM is. I think you should get... Read more »

Are there different types of HIV?

A guy that I have dated on and off contracted HIV many years ago through a blood transfusion. He says it is contained and he says that it is not the "viral kind". Is there more than one kind of HIV/AIDs and are the risk factors for...

Response from Ryan M. Kull, C.S.W

Columbia University's Health & Related Services

There is no such thing as a "non-viral kind" of HIV. HIV is a virus (human immunodeficiency virus). If this guy was infected with HIV and you had sex without condoms (vaginal, anal, oral), then you are at risk for infection with HIV. If... Read more »

HIV1, HIV2 and their relationship to sub-types and testing

I'm concerned about a potential exposure to HIV which occured in South East Asia. After reading through your many (wonderful!)answers I had a in-house PCR QUAL assay done about 3 weeks after the exposure. Results were negative. Then the lab...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

Your biolody lesson for today. HIV-1 is divided into 2 major subgroups M (major) and O (outlier). The M group is divided into subtypes A-I. The O group into A and B (for now). They are all HIV-1. HIV-2 is a different virus, although it is in the... Read more »

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accuracy of different kinds of tests

Posted by JillianB, 2 Replies

Is one type of HIV test any more accurate than the other? I had a rapid test done (not the oral one, the one that uses a blood sample, sorry I don't know the name) at 7 weeks and plan to have the same test done at 13 weeks. I just read a post by... Read more »

HIV-TYPE 2

Posted by Anonymous, 1 Reply

HIV-TYPE 2: I would like to hear from anyone who has tested
positive for HIV-2. Currently the U.S. only tests for HIV-1. But
now I have a friend with the type 2 strain (a weaker strain most
common in W. Africa), and we are having a difficult time... Read more »

Different Q & A about hiv testing:

Posted by Anonymous, 2 Replies

clarificatoin on testing?
Posted: Apr 2, 2001

is a negative result at 4 1/2 months on a salive test goor/reliable after a low risk exposure(fingering?) thank you

The OraSure testing system is generally thought to be an excellent screening tool and... Read more »

Types of test?

Posted by T_BOOGIE, 3 Replies

Does the type of test you take really make a difference, like besides the rapid test. I dont know what kind of test i took but the last one i took was negative. Does the type of test make that big of a difference? Read more »

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