Everyone has an idea about HIV since schooldays. There was a time when the infected were feared, but now all this is in the past. The media have taken a big step towards meeting HIV-infected people. People stopped being afraid of them and began to perceive them differently. However, the risk of infection is quite high, and it is not always possible for a person to find out about the infection, since it has a rather long incubation period.
To determine the pathology, an HIV test is taken, the transcript will show whether the patient has an infection or not.
Reason for development
Infection can be contracted in many ways. Most often this occurs during a blood transfusion, with promiscuity. The risk of infection through syringes and medical instruments is no less high.
Deciphering HIV tests allows you to assess the state of he alth and control the process. The human immunodeficiency virus is difficult to detect immediately after infection. Usually the disease proceeds without any symptoms. As a result, this situation can lead to serious consequences up to death. To avoid this, it is necessary at least twice a yeardonate biomaterial for HIV.
Testing
Deciphering the HIV test allows you to confirm or refute the pathology. The examination is carried out by detecting antibodies in the blood, saliva or other liquid. They are produced by the body in response to infection with a virus.
Laboratory studies are carried out to identify the microorganism. Moreover, even the usual indicators of analyzes can change during infection. In this case, the following changes may be observed:
- leucopenia;
- anemia;
- thrombocytopenia.
If suddenly the patient will experience progressive changes in blood tests, it is necessary to donate blood for HIV. There are several types of tests for infection: ELISA and PCR.
ELISA
The HIV code is as follows: human immunodeficiency virus. This pathology has several stages of development and a long incubation period.
In the early stages, between one and a half to three months from the date of contact with an infected person, an ELISA is performed.
Laboratory study of ELISA allows you to determine the presence of HIV infection in the body. Decoding gives information about the presence of antibodies to the virus. Among them, the most important are immunoglobulins, which exist in the form of immunocomplexes.
Blood sampling for diagnostics comes from the cubital vein. Do not eat before the procedure. It is also necessary to notify the doctor about taking medications, as some substances can affectdiagnostic results.
During the examination, the reaction to immunoglobulins IgM, IgG, IgA is evaluated. If the decoding of a blood test for HIV shows negative values \u200b\u200bof substances, then they say that there is no disease. Also, the absence of an immunoglobulin reaction may indicate a complete recovery.
If the IgG protein is determined in the decoding of HIV results, then they talk about the formed immunity in a person after vaccination.
The detected IgM protein indicates the acute course of an infectious disease.
If three positive proteins, namely IgM, IgG, IgA, are detected during the decoding of HIV blood, then they speak of a relapse in the acute phase.
During the ELISA, if a negative IgM immunoglobulin value is detected, and the reaction of IgG and IgA is positive, this indicates a positive analysis. With such data, the infection is in remission.
PCR
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most accurate diagnostic method. To determine HIV by this method, blood is taken from a vein. The material is given by patients in the morning on an empty stomach from the cubital vein.
During the examination, traces of hostile microorganisms are determined in human DNA. If there are none, then it is considered that the person is he althy. Otherwise, the patient is considered positive and ill.
Often, PCR gives positive results even before the clinical manifestations of pathology. This is not a laboratory error, but an early stage of development, in which there are no symptoms yet, butthe virus is already in the body.
Features of PCR allow for early diagnosis after contact with the sick person: two weeks after the alleged infection, patients can be tested for PCR and get reliable results.
Conclusion
ELISA and PCR can accurately determine the presence of human immunodeficiency virus in the blood. The first type of diagnosis makes it possible to determine the problem after a few months from the moment of contact with the patient. For earlier detection of the disease, PCR is performed. Decoding HIV of this method gives more informative results in the early stages.
In some cases, test results give false positive results. The probability of such a diagnosis is approximately one percent. Such results can be obtained if the patient fails to prepare for testing, taking certain medications.
