Lab diagnosis of HIV

LAB DIAGNOSIS OF HIV

Diagnsoing tests for HIV

• Screening tests for antibodies – ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent Assay) and Western blot technique for detecting antibodies against gag, pol and env proteins

• Direct detection of HIV

  • P24 antigen assay

  • HIV RNA assay -RT-PCR (Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction)

  • DNA PCR – by amplification of proviral DNA

  • Culture of HIV from monocytes in blood and CD4+T cells

• Tests for defects in immunity

  • CD4+ T cell counts

  • Rise in CD8+ T cell 

  • Reversal of CD4+ to CD8+ T cells

  • Lymphopenia

Reference

Kumar Abbas, Abul K. Abbas, Jon C Aster. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 9 edition.