Re: False positive HIV report indicates inadequate quality control.

[Guest guest]

I was quite surprised to see the responses from aidsindiatoday. The issue is

really that Ranbaxy has given two reports to a patient suggesting that he is HIV

infected, when in all likelihood, he is not. A final report, of course, can only

be given 3 months after the last exposure. Subsequent tests at AIIMS do not

suggest HIV infection. These tests are not cheap.

A lab cannot give a false positive result and then argue that, it was because,

the wrong test was ordered in the first place. While a false positive result may

be seen in the first screening test, for a patient be given a false

positive result is the rarest of events, and indicates inadequate quality

control.

Many patients are not very truthful when it comes to their sexual behaviour.

They may admit to one or two recent sexual exposures with a single partner but

not reveal all their past sexual history. They do this, so that, they don’t

lose face with the doctor.

This is very important here since most doctors are very judgmental and fond of

sermonizing. So many doctors order an test even when a patient says he has

had an exposure just a few days earlier. This practice has several advantages.

One is that if the test is negative the patient can be reassured that he has not

been infected by any exposure prior to three months. The patient gets great

emotional relief, which he will not get otherwise, if he is tested only after 3

months. This is always combined with an advice to have safe sex with one’s

regular partner and mandatory testing 3 months after the last exposure before

giving a final negative report. If the test is positive, there is of course no

need for further testing.

Dr.M. Prasanna Kumar

E-mail: mpkumar@...

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