Straight to your questions. I am not familiar with an ELFA HIV test and thus cannot directly compare it to the stand ELISA assay. If the test is liscensed for use by the US FDA or the EU, it is reliable. If it is not or you do not know and are concerned, then you should get re-tested with a test you are assured is reliable. The odds of infection from a single exposure to a partner of unknown HIV status however is very low. Thus, even without testing, your risk for HIV from a single exposure is very, very low.
As for you questions:
1. See above.
2. Whther you ask for an ELISA or accept the ELFA depends on where it is liscened for use. This is your decision.
3. Diabetes has no effect on HIV test performance, risk for HIV, or HIV antibody production.
4. No, the test would be reliable and not influenced by diabetes.
5. No, diabetes does not cause late seroconversion
6. Probably. See above comments about test perfromance.
7. It is excellent.
Hope these comments help. EWH
Dear, Dr:
I checked with the Chief Microbiologist and Head of Diagnostics at the hospital where I was tested. I asked whether ELFA imethod uses the standard ELISA assay.
I was told that apart from the standard ELISA assay it uses for testing, it goes a step further to verify the results through a final fluorescence reading while the ELISA result is by way of a colorometric output.
Do you still feel that an ELISA and ELFA have any difference? Do I need to test again?
Cheers,
Hivedoff
FRom what you tell me it looks as though the performance of the ELFA and ELISA should be the same but, as I said, I am unfamiliar with this test. Your have the advantage of having spoken with the microbioligist who runs the lab. EWH