Imagine taking a test for HIV and discover that is positive! Then realize it was all a mistake.
QUOTE |
NEW YORK - Hundreds of people who took an HIV test at New York City clinics between November 2007 and April of this year were incorrectly told they tested positive for the virus, the New York Post reported Sunday. In total, 213 people reportedly tested positive for the virus after taking a rapid mouth-swab HIV test manufactured by OraSure technologies. The reason for the incorrect results is being investigated by the Department of Health, the Post reported. In the meantime, the DOH has stopped using the swab test, which was first introduced to New York City clinics in 2005. But Dr. Susan Blank, assistant DOH commissioner and director of the bureau of STD control, told the Post that all individuals who were found to be positive after taking the swab test were immediately given another test - one that required a blood sample.. |
I know if I was one of those people I would be getting a blood test done as soon as they said I tested positive. I would want a second opinion. I also know that I would be questioning how a person can get HIV because I have not done anything that would lead to me having HIV. Makes one wonder how reliable some of these swab tests really are.
It just does not make sense to me for this situation to even occur. Responsibly those clinics should have been recommending retests for any positive results.
Anyone who tests positive for HIV should always have a second test done six months down the road. False positives are not all that uncommon. And if the test is given too early they could have a false negative until the antibodies are built up in the system.
We test all the patients who come into the hospital and if they test positive we always recommend a re-test. Also, those who test negative but have high risk lifestyles and suspect they may have been exposed to HIV are always retested six weeks after the initial test to be safe.
I was just at the blood bank making my regular donation and that is exactly what some of the nurses there were saying also alskann. If positive recheck with family doctor was immediately to be done and then again in 6 months to be sure.
If exposed to HIV they also said that one is to be checked every six months for a few years. Their view varied between 4 to 6 years. That is scary to me that one would have that lingering over your head for that long.