title: Towards error-free HIV diagnosis: guidelines on laboratory practice.
abstract: Error can have multiple causes. These guidelines set out the most common reasons for inaccuracies in HIV testing and indicate how they can be avoided. Emphasis is placed on laboratory procedures as during over 15 years experience they, rather than the kits and reagents, have proved to be the most frequent source of error.
authors.affiliation: Sexually Transmitted and Bloodborne Virus Laboratory, Health Protection Agency, Specialist and Reference Microbiology Division, 61 Colindale Avenue, London NW9 5HT. john.parry@hpa.org.uk
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Parry
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Mortimer
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Perry
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pillay
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zuckerman
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000592:standards*; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000592:standards*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000592:standards*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D013996:Time and Motion Studies; D006113:United Kingdom
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral