The rate of false HIV-positive results using oral fluid specimens with the OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV 1/2 test in New York City rose as high as 1.1 percent over the past eight months, causing the city’s Bureau of STD Control clinics to suspend saliva-based screening with the assay on May 27, Bloomberg reports (bloomberg.com, 6/16).
According to the article, however, OraQuick has proven successful nationwide, with a 0.2 percent false-positive rate over the past 17 months at 400 testing sites across the country.
“What’s happening in New York City appears to be a slight aberration,” said Ron Ticho, a spokesperson from Orasure Technologies, Inc., which developed, manufactures and markets the rapid test. “Performance results may fall slightly outside the expected range for a short period of time. That’s expected.”
HIV testing sites continue to use OraQuick to screen blood samples, and Bloomberg reports that the test's manufacturer, Orasure, is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and New York health officials to determine why the rate of false positives in the city is higher than the national average. False-negative aberrations have not been reported.
NEW! Scroll down to comment on this story.
Please click OK to confirm your comment and confirm you accept our posting rules. Note your message will be reviewed by our staff before going live.
Previous Comments:
comments 1 - 1 (of 1 total)
JOHN HOPKINS, ATLANTA, GA., 2008-06-19 16:01:38
The false positive increase was something I noted in my district in 2005-2007. I reported this to the company, ORASURE, and they assured me that I was not correct, not that it was to be expected.
I did begin to do finger sticks on the positive oral fluid test, but determined that that made no CENTS as I was burning two test and would have to do confimatory testing anyway. So we followed the positive ORAQUICK with the ORASURE test that are sent to the lab for EIA and Western Blot testing.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
Woman of the Month is supported by exclusive advertising from Gilead.
Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
