HIV antibody testing, commonly used methods

There is currently no particularly effective means to cure AIDS, so in clinical practice, HIV antibody testing is also used before AIDS is confirmed. The specific methods are mainly the following two.

1. Enzyme-linked method:

That is "enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay", abbreviated as ELISA. Its core is to allow antibodies to bind to enzyme complexes, and then detect them through color development. The steps are very simple: ELISA uses serum for detection. First, the blood must be agglutinated for at least half an hour, and then the serum is taken. After the enzyme complex is diluted with diluent, serum and negative and positive controls, as well as quality control products, are added. After one hour of incubation, the plate is washed, the substrate is added, and after half an hour of reaction in the dark, the stop solution is added to complete the reaction part, and then the reading is taken. The negative or positive result is judged by the value.

Strictly speaking, if the first test is positive, no matter which laboratory it is, a second test must be conducted in accordance with the CDC's HIV operating procedures. The second method must be different from the first. If it is still positive, it will be sent to an AIDS confirmation laboratory for confirmation.

2. Quick method:

The gold label method, also known as the colloidal gold method, is an internationally advanced in vitro diagnostic method that is sensitive, specific, rapid, simple, and highly accurate. The test results can be obtained in a short time using a special test strip. The gold label method (HIV test strip) involves taking blood and dropping it on the test strip, and then observing the test strip for 15 minutes to see if it changes color.

The rapid HIV test can be done at home. It is simple and convenient to operate. No special equipment is required. First, drop two drops of blood on the HIV test paper, then drop a drop of diluent, and then wait for 15 minutes to read the result. The result is also very simple to read. If a red straight line appears on the test paper, it means it is negative. If there are two red lines, it is positive. If the test is positive, according to the HIV test process, you need to retest.

Self-testing for HIV using the rapid method (HIV test strips) should be performed under the guidance of professionals to ensure that the entire self-testing process is standardized and the results are accurate and reliable.