OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the false positive rate of the OraQuick rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test compared with the ELISA test in pregnant patients of low socioeconomic status. STUDY DESIGN: Blood samples from pregnant patients collected between 10 February 2005 and 1 June 2005 were tested with HIV ELISA and OraQuick rapid HIV tests. The positive predictive values of both tests were calculated. RESULT: Of 910 patients, 14 (1.5%) patients had a positive HIV ELISA test, with only 5 patients confirmed for HIV. The positive predictive value for the ELISA test was 35.7% compared with 100% for the OraQuick rapid test. CONCLUSION: In a predominantly low socioeconomic Hispanic patient population with a 0.5% HIV prevalence, false positive HIV testing is lower for the OraQuick rapid HIV test compared with the HIV ELISA test. Implementation of the rapid HIV test would mitigate the emotional distress and unnecessary intrapartum and neonatal zidovudine treatments associated with false positive HIV testing.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the false positive rate of the OraQuick rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) test compared with the ELISA test in pregnant patients of low socioeconomic status. STUDY DESIGN: Blood samples from pregnant patients collected between 10 February 2005 and 1 June 2005 were tested with HIV ELISA and OraQuick rapid HIV tests. The positive predictive values of both tests were calculated. RESULT: Of 910 patients, 14 (1.5%) patients had a positive HIV ELISA test, with only 5 patients confirmed for HIV. The positive predictive value for the ELISA test was 35.7% compared with 100% for the OraQuick rapid test. CONCLUSION: In a predominantly low socioeconomic Hispanic patient population with a 0.5% HIV prevalence, false positive HIV testing is lower for the OraQuick rapid HIV test compared with the HIV ELISA test. Implementation of the rapid HIV test would mitigate the emotional distress and unnecessary intrapartum and neonatal zidovudine treatments associated with false positive HIV testing.
Authors: Ronald M Galiwango; Richard Musoke; Lawrence Lubyayi; Robert Ssekubugu; Sarah Kalibbala; Viola Ssekweyama; Viola Mirembe; Gertrude Nakigozi; Steven J Reynolds; David Serwadda; Ronald H Gray; Godfrey Kigozi Journal: J Virol Methods Date: 2013-04-11 Impact factor: 2.014