What are Elisa and Western Blot tests?
The most common blood test for detecting HIV infection is ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). This test is an antibody test also called ‘screening test’which is very sensitive and detects almost all persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) except during the first few weeks of infection. This is done in almost all the pathological laboratories. To be reported as positive by the ELISA test, at least 2 tests on the same blood specimen by two different antigens must react positively. The Western blot test determines the body’s immune response to a specific HIV particle. The Western blot test is an antibody test for detecting HIV infection. A negative HIV antibody test implies that the person probably have not been infected with the HIV virus. If the results of the same test done 6 months later are still negative for HIV antibodies, it is highly unlikely that the person have been infected with the virus.
