{"id":4431,"date":"2021-09-15T15:15:57","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T03:15:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.awanuilabs.co.nz\/central\/wellington\/?page_id=4431"},"modified":"2025-05-05T14:12:34","modified_gmt":"2025-05-05T02:12:34","slug":"human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.awanuilabs.co.nz\/central\/wellington\/for-referrers\/microbiology\/how-do-i-diagnose\/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv\/","title":{"rendered":"Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Infection:<\/strong>  Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Brief description:<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<ul>\n<li>Virus that causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) if untreated.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The main risk group in NZ are men who have sex with men (MSM), but is seen in others also.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Did you know?<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<p>Modern tests are very accurate. Complicated pre-test counselling or consent procedures are not required, and should not be a barrier to testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because HIV is now easily treatable, it is generally only a danger to health if undiagnosed. Effective treatment renders people non-infectious to others, thus limiting the spread of HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>This is why there should be a low threshold for testing.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Who should I test?<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<p>Testing should be performed in those <strong>seeking STI testing<\/strong>, particularly in MSM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Periodic testing<\/strong> (at least annually) is recommended in those with risk factors e.g. MSM.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>HIV can present in <strong>many<\/strong> <strong>different<\/strong> <strong>ways<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Test people with unusual presentations, unusual infections, general unexplained decline in health. Testing is simple and straightforward.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Test of choice:<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<p>Request <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/scg.labapps.nz\/#\/WEL\/details\/27143\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HIV serology<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Modern tests (called \u20184<sup>th<\/sup> generation tests\u2019) detect a combination of <strong>antigen<\/strong> (bits of the virus) and <strong>antibody<\/strong> (body\u2019s response to the virus).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>These tests become positive <strong>much sooner<\/strong> after infection than older tests, where the \u2018window period\u2019 could be prolonged because they <strong>only detected antibody<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excellent <strong>sensitivity<\/strong>&nbsp;&#8211; a <strong>negative<\/strong> test <strong>excludes<\/strong> the diagnosis (unless exposure within last 45 days)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excellent <strong>specificity<\/strong> &#8211; a <strong>positive<\/strong> test <strong>confirms<\/strong> the diagnosis.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-atomic-blocks-ab-accordion ab-block-accordion\"><details><summary class=\"ab-accordion-title\">Tests to avoid\/specialist tests:<\/summary><div class=\"ab-accordion-text\">\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/scg.labapps.nz\/#\/WEL\/details\/27509\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">HIV viral load<\/a> (HIV RNA):<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Not recommended as initial diagnostic test for HIV.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This is generally only used by specialists, and is for <strong>monitoring treatment<\/strong> and <strong>confirming infection<\/strong> in newly diagnosed patients.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/details><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Infection: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":0,"parent":4222,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-left-sidebar.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) &#8211; 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