Loading...
HIV diagnosis during acute infection is extremely challenging. Unfortunately, very early infection appears to be a time of markedly increased infectiousness. These researchers evaluated whether the identification of acute infection in North Carolina could be improved by adding nucleic-acid amplification testing to standard antibody testing at 110 state-funded testing and counseling sites.
During a 12-month period, 109,250 individuals at these sites were tested for HIV antibody using standard enzyme immunoassay and Western blot; 583 subjects were found to have established infection, including 107 with probable recent infection (according to results from a detuned ELISA). Taking advantage of a centralized HIV-testing laboratory, the study grou…