Epidemiological investigation and follow-up study of different populations with indeterminate results of HIV antibody test in Fujian / 中华微生物学和免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the ratios and the distribution of subjects with indeterminate results of HIV antibody in different populations who were positive for HIV screening test in Fujian and to ana-lyze the features of Western blot bands for further understanding the relationships between the Western blot band patterns and HIV infection. Methods The subjects who were diagnosed with indeterminate results of HIV antibody at the first examination were re-tested with Western blot assay every month until the results turned into HIV antibody-positive or HIV antibody-negative. Results The detection rate of indeterminate results of HIV antibody was 3. 69% in Fujian in 2015. Higher rates were detected in blood donors, pregnant woman and other clinical patients. The most common band patterns of HIV antibody-indeterminate samples were p24, gp160+p24 and gp160. Results of the follow-up confirmatory tests showed that 76% of the sam-ples of p24 band pattern were HIV antibody-negative and 76. 47% of the samples of gp160+p24 band pattern were HIV antibody-positive. The nucleic acid test showed that positive results were detected in 29 samples whose band patterns were gp160+gp120+p24,gp160+gp120+p66andgp160+gp120+p31. Conclusion The detection rates of indeterminate results of HIV antibody varied in different populations. The most com-mon band patterns of HIV antibody-indeterminate samples were p24, gp160+p24 and gp160. The more bands the samples presented themselves in Western blot assay, the more likely they would be HIV antibody-positive. Follow-up should be strengthened to prevent the spread of HIV infection. Samples with the band pattern of gp160+gp120+p24 showed a low probability of false positive and they were more likely to be end-stage AIDS with immunosuppression.