Stability of rapid Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) tests beyond their recommended storage temperature
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7439/ijbar.v6i10.2541Abstract
Blood of blood donors is screened for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) type I and II and other viral markers at blood banks by using suitable rapid tests / Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) or molecular assays. The rapid HIV tests are low cost, robust, provides quick results, useful for laboratory without having sufficient infrastructure, on-site to test, does not require highly skilled manpower and used in resource-poor settings at primary health centres. Thesensitivity as well as specificity of rapid HIV test is reported to be similar to those of the standard ELISA. The aim of the present study was to check the stability of rapid HIV tests within and particularly beyond their recommended storage temperature. Five commercially available rapid tests were exposed at 252C and higher than their recommended storage temperature like 372C, 452C up to 80 days and 602C up to 2 days. Though all the five HIV RTs retained 100% sensitivity when stored at 372C up to 30 days but only two out of five rapid HIV tests showed 100% stability even after exposure at higher temperature viz 602C up to 2 days. The study suggests that rapid HIV tests are worth using for screening of HIV at blood banks and primary health centres situated particularly in remote areas of tropical countries including India but does not intend to encourage people to use rapid HIV tests exposed to beyond their recommended storage temperature.Downloads
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