testing questions

Hey all,

If a patient went to the eroom and the doctor suspected or atleast had to rule out ARS, what kind of hiv tests would be performed and how logn do they take to get results back in this situation.

Would an anti body test  be any good at this point?

[Teak]

Antibody test and it can take from a matter of minutes to two weeks depending if the test was ran inhouse or sent to a lab or if they used Rapid testing.

[regularjoey]

A PCR is performed to rule out ARS.
Serology tests are often negative during ARS.

[Teak]

Not in an ER they don't. Now tell me you work in an ER, Dr.Stupid.

[mike319]

i am not an expert on testing, but it seems as though each of you contradict each other?

Story is gf was sick in the hospital and doctor had to rule out acute Hiv, she called her primary and the nurse said her test was negative.  she had headache, fever, rash.

she called her doctor like a week ago and they were still waiting for some other test results the nurse said, but the hiv was negative.  
Do you think only a negative antibody test , or they are still waiting for some mroe extensive tessting that the nurse was not aware look for hiv.

[regularjoey]

You have to ask the doctor specifically what test was used.
A PCR takes a while, at least a few hours, so if the test results came back right away, than it was ELISA, which does not rule out acute HIV.  Call and ask.

Yes, Teak an HIV PCR can be performed on the ER patient.  Not in the ER obviously, the blood sample is sent out to the lab.  Another idiotic comment from you.  Are you going for the record today?

[mike319]

sorry to cause any problems betwen the two of you.
She was actually admitted to the hospital, you are correct, she originally went to the ER and they took blood and didnt test for hiv, they sent her home with a diagnosis unspecific virus that caused a rash.

she was not getting better so her primary doc admitted her to the hospital, they took blood and a week later they called to check up on her and she asked if her hiv test was ok and the nurse said it was negative.  it has been roughly 2.5 weeks now, would the PCR most likey have been done by now.  dont know if the nurse was not aware of any other hiv tests that were perfromed.  she would not have said it was negative if they were still waiting for a PCR right?

[regularjoey]

Is there a particular reason why your girlfriend is concerned about HIV?  Did she have an exposure in the weeks before the sickness?  If so, she should ask specifically which test was given, ELISA or PCR.  Yes, the PCR would be done a long time ago, if such test was ordered by a doctor.