HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS I/II ANTIBODY (087-7204)

 HIV

 Screen - automated EIA (OCD 3600); confirmation - Western Blot (BioRad)

  Clinical Chemistry

 Test is performed daily Monday-Friday; confirmation of positives requires 3 - 7 days.

Test Includes: Samples are screened for antibodies to HIV-I and HIV-II. If the screening test is reactive, a confirmation test (Western blot) is performed for HIV-I and HIV-II, as appropriate.

Collect: Routine venipuncture, SST (serum separator tube)

Storage/Transport: Centrifuge samples and store at 2-8°C.

Causes for Rejection:  Bacterial contamination, gross hemolysis, leaking container, incomplete request/consent forms, submission of any other tube than SST tube.

If applicable, state clinical information that is required to be provided with specimen.

By report (reports may vary based on instrumentation, patient age and sex)

 A consent form signed by patient, witness, and ordering physician must be completed for each specimen for inpatient testing and placed in the patient's chart. For non-UTMB patients, the physician is responsible for obtaining written consent and performing appropriate counseling for the test. To ensure irrefutable identification, the laboratory strongly recommends that the original collection tube be submitted to the laboratory for this test.

HIV-I confirmation (Western blot) results: The results are reported as: "Confirmed positive for the presence of HIV-I antibodies. Evidence of infection.", or " WB failed to confirm the presence of HIV-1 antibodies. Retest in 12 weeks if clinically indicated", or "WB is indeterminate, if this is the first test, testing should be repeated within 6-8 weeks if clinically indicated. If repeatedly indeterminate, retesting is not necessary unless warranted based on clinical circumstances." The interpretation is based on the band pattern exhibited in the test. The CDC recommendations are bands at any of the two following locations be considered positive: p24, gp41, gp120/160. The report will contain the positive bands and the interpretation.

 86703, 86689 (confirmation)

When ordering tests for which Medicare or Medicaid reimbursement will be sought, physicians should only order tests that are medically necessary for the diagnosis or treatment of the patient.  Components of the organ or disease panels may be ordered individually.  The diagnostic information must substantiate all tests ordered and must be in the form of an ICD-9 code or its verbal equivalent.