Evaluation of a rapid test for HIV antibodies in saliva and blood

Objective. To test whole blood and saliva for HN antibodies (anti-HN) using a rapid test strip capillary flow immunoassay, and to correlate the test s trip results with blood specimen results obtained from routine diagnostic a nti-HIV assays. Design. A prospective pilot study of selected HIV-positive and HN-negative individuals, children and medico-legal cases from Gauteng, South Africa. Methods. Whole blood specimens taken from every individual and medico-legal case (total study population 153) and saliva specimens taken from 76 selec ted cases were tested for anti-HIV using the respective Hema-Strip HIV-1/2, Sere-Strip HIV-1-/2 and Saliva-Strip HIV-1/2 (Saliva Diagnostic Systems In c.) rapid test strip methodology. All results were correlated with the curr ently recommended anti-HIV assays. Results. The whole blood test strip results correlated 100% with the tradit ional diagnostic results. Only two saliva test strip results tested false-n egative, both from marasmic and severely dehydrated babies, while the other results were in concordance. All test strip results on postmortem blood an d saliva were fully concordant with the diagnostic assay results. Conclusion. The anti-MN test strip methodology for whole blood and saliva s pecimens is rapid, reliable and easy to perform and interpret. Saliva speci mens can be readily collected from any individual, and there is a reduction in hazard risk. Anti-HIV saliva testing using the test strip methodology i s recommended for South Africa, particularly in high-risk situations such a s the paediatric and forensic medicine settings. A larger field study obtai ning specimens from different regions in South Africa is advised.