Evaluation of rapid prenatal human immunodeficiency virus testing in rural cameroon.
Pregnant women (n = 859) in rural Cameroonian prenatal clinics were screened by two rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody tests (rapid tests [RT]) (Determine and Hema-Strip) using either whole blood or plasma. One additional RT (Capillus, HIV-CHEK, or Sero-Card) was used to resolve discordant results. RT results were compared with HIV-1 enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and Western blot (WB) results of matched dried blood spots (DBS) to assess the accuracy of HIV RTs. DBS EIA/WB identified 83 HIV antibody-reactive, 763 HIV antibody-nonreactive, and 13 indeterminate specimens. RT results were evaluated in serial (two consecutive tests) or parallel (two simultaneous tests) testing algorithms. A serial algorithm using Determine and Hema-Strip yielded sensitivity and specificity results of 97.6% and 99.7%, respectively, whereas a parallel RT algorithm using Determine plus a second RT produced a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 99.7%, respectively. HIV RTs provide excellent alternatives for identifying HIV infection, and their field performance could be monitored using DBS testing strategies.
Granade
Timothy C
TC
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1600 Clifton Rd., NE MS D-12, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA. Tgranade@cdc.gov
Parekh
Bharat S
BS
Tih
Pius M
PM
Welty
Thomas
T
Welty
Edith
E
Bulterys
Marc
M
Ndikintum
George
G
Nkuoh
Godlove
G
Tancho
Samuel
S
D000465:Algorithms; D002163:Cameroon; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis
D015483:HIV Antibodies