Referenced Quotes about HIV/AIDS Tests and Measurements

The Western Blot Test

The Western Blot test places multiple proteins (antigens) believed to be from HIV in a line on a test strip (according to molecular weight). Serum is added to see which antibody/antigen reactions occur. This test allows not only positive or negative results, but also 'indeterminate', where at least one protein reactions, but not enough to be considered positive. There are many different interpretations of this test, so it is possible to be positive under one interpretation and indeterminate in another, used by a different organization or in a different country. Since the Western Blot is an antibody test, like the initial ELISA test, it is not fully independent, and the very common use of this as a confirmatory test for ELISA is thus questionable.