title: Assessment of the Accuracy of Whole Blood/Serum Rapid Point-of-Care HIV Three Dot Test for Oral Fluid Specimens.
abstract: Saliva rapid point of care HIV tests have proven advantages over blood-based HIV tests in terms of quality, rapidity and convenience.
  
  
  
  To assess the sensitivity, specificity and reproducibility of saliva samples using the serum/ whole blood rapid test and to compare it with serum specimens.
  
  
  
  52 seropositive and 52 seronegative patients were included in the study. Stimulated and unstimulated saliva samples were collected and tested using the serum/ whole blood signal HIV THREE DOT rapid test (span diagnostics).
  
  
  
  The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the test was found to be 100% for saliva samples.
  
  
  
  Saliva samples can be used as a substitute to serum/whole blood for HIV testing. It can be done using the serum/whole blood kits which are cheaper and readily available thus broadening the reach of testing programs in resource limited settings.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rakesh
authors.forename: Shakilla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shetty
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sujatha
authors.affiliation: M.S. Ramaiah Dental College, Oral Medicine and Radiology, India. sshivisharma@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Shivani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Ankit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saxena
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity