Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Testing site      

Alaska State Virology Laboratory (ASLV) - Fairbanks 

Fairbanks Lab Request Form

Diseases 

• HIV 
• AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) 

Organisms 

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 

Test Method 

• Testing algorithm follows current CDC guidelines for 4th generation HIV Ag/Ab Combo.  
• Screening:  Chemiluminescent immunoassay for the simultaneous qualitative detection of HIV p24 antigen and antibodies to HIV-1 (groups M and O) and HIV-2.  
• Confirmation:  All reactive HIV screen results reflex to the Geenius HIV 1,2 Supplemental Assay. 
• Nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT): Geenius confirmatory results that are inconclusive will be referred to a CDC reference lab for HIV-1 and/or HIV-2 NAAT. 

Availability

• Routine testing. 
• HIV testing cannot be performed on patients less than 2 years old

Specimen type 

Serum   

• Minimum volume required: 1.5mL  
• Blood collected in a serum separator tube (SST) is recommended.  

Specimen collection instructions 

• Collect the blood aseptically by venipuncture in SST and centrifuge from red blood cells within 2 hours.  
• Store spun SST frozen at <-20°C to stage for shipping.  Self-defrosting freezers are not recommended for sample storage.  
• Indicate date shipped and date frozen on the Fairbanks Lab Request Form.  

Storage and transport  

Ship on dry ice or many frozen cold packs.  

• Ambient temperature shipping is not recommended per reagent manufacturer guidelines.   
• Refrigerated specimens are also not recommended due to manufacturer limitations on completing testing within 7 days (including transit time) if stored at 2-8°C.  
• Samples received warm, grossly hemolyzed, highly lipemic or turbid, or collected in other collection devices may be rejected.   

Ship to: Fairbanks Public Health Laboratory, ATTN: Clinical Virology   

Results

• HIV Ag/Ab Combo screen: Reactive/Nonreactive  
• Confirmatory Testing: See Geenius interpretation (page 11) 
• HIV-1 and HIV-2 NAAT (CDC Reference Lab): Detected/Not detected 

A normal result is nonreactive or not detected. 

Turnaround time  

• Screening and confirmation:  1-3 days after receipt at ASVL 
• Reference lab testing (if needed): 1-2 weeks after receipt at reference lab 

Resources