[Problems in the diagnosis of AIDS].
Diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection depends mainly on the detection of HIV-specific antibodies in the serum. If a seropositive patient has symptoms and signs of AIDS indicator diseases he (or she) will be diagnosed as having AIDS. If a patient is seronegative to HIV, some other diseases should be evaluated to explain the symptom related to the immunodeficiency. However, diagnosis of AIDS may be possible when a patient has AIDS indicator diseases and decreased CD4 positive cell count (< 400/microliters). We should also pay attention to the HIV-2 infection and idiopathic CD4 lymphocytopenia (ICL) which has been reported to be related to clinical immunodeficiency. We had a few cases with indeterminate antibody positivity. If a patient's serum is repeatedly HIV-positive in a screening assay but repeatedly indeterminate in a confirmation assay, some other confirmation tests such as RIPA, PCR, p24 antigen assay, or virus isolation should be employed to demonstrate the presence of HIV-infection.
Matsushita
S
S
Transfusion Service Department, Kumamoto University School of Medicine.
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015483:HIV Antibodies