SAME-DAY TESTING FOR HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS ANTIBODIES

We analysed the specificity of a screening enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for human immunodeficiency virus antibodies, and found that 18 of 1878 serum specimens (1.0%) from an open access clinic gave false r eactive results. Introduction of true same-day testing therefore requi red the use of more than one assay before a reactive result could be r eported. A testing strategy was devised with a 4 h turn-around time wh ich gave accurate results for 11 positive and 119 negative specimens.