oraquick question

[no_problem]

Hi, is the Oraquick reading (using oral swab) at 50 minutes considered accurate? the manufacturer's manual says 20-40 minutes, and the reading after 40 minutes maybe erroneous, but my doctor called me in at 50 minutes because other patients were in his room. It was negative, but can i rely on this (3 months) as conclusively negative? could the positive line faded between 40 minutes and 50 minutes?
Thanks

[LIZZIE LOU]

i would think that the doctor did not actually perform the test himself.  just because he called you in at 50 minutes, does not mean the test was read at 50 minutes.

[no_problem]

It was the doctor who performed the test, so it was probably read at 50 minutes.

But, i found this from CDC, which is quiet reassuring, perhaps it will help others with similar worries:
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/testing/resources/factsheets/procedure.htm
"The maximum time for reading results of the OraQuick test has been reduced–from 60 minutes to 40 minutes. The maximum read time was reduced to 40 minutes in order to minimize the possibility of false positive test results. In clinical studies, there were occasional false positive results when the test was read between 40 and 60 minutes."

so it seems that a negative reading between 40-60 mins is still as accurate as between 20-40 mins, is the interpretation correct?

[Teak]

If your test would have been positive it would have require a Western Blot or equivalent to confirm. So you are negative.

[no_problem]

Hi, Teak, I didn't understand your reply. I think the doctor also read it at 50 minutes, because the test device was put in a place quite far from his desk after he did the oral swab for me. Then when he called me in, he took the device back to his desk and said negative to me. So if it was positive between 20-40 mins, the doctor would not have known it.

[Teak]

The warning you read was from some of the first Oraquick tests. The update was from a test going from negative to positive, not positive to negative.

[no_problem]

Teak, thanks for your quick reply. So according to your professional knowledge, it is only possible for Oraquick to go from negative in 20-40 mins to positive after 40 mins, but not possible for it to go from positive in 20-40 mins to negative after 40 mins? Does the conclusion apply to oral swab as well? and does it mean, I can really really take the 50 mins negative reading as conclusive? (it is 3 months)

[Teak]

Yes you can take it as a conclusive negative.

[no_problem]

Thank you!