Setting up an HIV screening program.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1992. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Setting up an HIV screening program.

Transfus Med Rev. 1989 Jan;3(1 Suppl 1):23-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/92223668
Williams A; Dodd RY; American Red Cross, Jerome H. Holland Laboratory, Rockville, MD; 20855.

Abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) screening programs currently are based primarily on the detection of specific HIV-1 antibodies by the commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) combined with highly specific confirmation procedures. Factors to be considered in establishing a screening program include test performance characteristics, economy, confidentiality and notification procedures, legal and regulatory issues, proficiency and quality control measures, and laboratory safety. Commercial EIA screening in conjunction with a licensed Western blot assay permits the classification of all but a few serum samples into HIV-1-positive and HIV-1-negative categories. The occasional indeterminate results often can be resolved by following a defined retesting/resampling algorithm or by using research-level test procedures that may become available for diagnostic use in the future. Although screening of patient populations with an increased risk of HIV-1 exposure will improve the predictive accuracy of an initial screening assay, confirmation testing should nonetheless be performed for all EIA reactive sera regardless of the source. Local HIV-1 screening programs that meet minimum-volume requirements can result in considerable savings and flexibility for a moderate-size institution. However, before this type of program is undertaken, numerous technical and ethical considerations need to be addressed.

Keywords: Algorithms Blotting, Western Human HIV Seropositivity/*DIAGNOSIS Mass Screening/*METHODS Prospective Studies JOURNAL ARTICLE
920730
M9271091

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