| October 2005 · Vol. 17, No. 10 Case-Based Learning
New screening tests: HSV, CMV, HBV, HCV, parvovirus, and HIV
Tips on choosing the right tests and getting valid results
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Fast Track
Erroneous assumption: IgM is found only in acute infection and disappears within 3 months
Viral cultures for herpes simplex have very low sensitivity; only positive results are clinically useful
A woman is a hepatitis B carrier if the virus’ surface antigen persists 6 months after primary infection
A positive hepatitis C antibody test must be confirmed by nucleic amplification or recombinant immunoblot assay
Screen all women for HIV who are sexually active, diagnosed with another STD, or pregnant
It can take up to 1 year for a patient to seroconvert after acute HIV infection
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David
A.
Baker,
MDProfessor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine Director, Division of Infectious Diseases Health Sciences Center Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY
Technology makes many things possible, but not without imposing new responsibilities. When it comes to viral infections, diagnosis through serology testing, antigen assays, or amplification techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) now is possible for a number of diseases, including:
The responsibilities that come along with this ability: keeping up to date and selecting the most sensitive and specific test possible. This article reviews the latest tests and offers advice on their use in detecting 6 viruses.
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