HIV-1 RNA Patient Source, Plasma
Use
The test is useful for the detection and diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in acutely or early infected individuals, including infants under the age of 2, who are the source of blood or body fluid in an occupational exposure event. It serves as a vital tool for identifying HIV-1 RNA, especially in cases where serologic tests may be unreliable, such as in infants of HIV-infected mothers.
Special Instructions
Specimens need to be frozen and shipped on dry ice. If the shipment delay exceeds 24 hours, plasma specimens should be frozen at -20 to -80 degrees Celsius until shipment. Ensure proper specimen preparation by centrifuging blood collection tubes and aliquoting plasma into plastic vials as per manufacturer's instructions. Avoid using ACD plasma specimens and plasma preparation tubes for the test.
Limitations
This test is not FDA-approved for screening blood or blood product donors. It should not be the sole criterion for clinical decisions, as viral load below 20 copies/mL does not indicate absence of HIV-1 replication. It is not reliable for quantifying HIV-1 group N and HIV-2 strains or group O strain discrepancies. The test is not suitable for plasma preparation tubes due to potential false-high results.
Methodology
PCR-based (RT-PCR)
Biomarkers
LOINC Codes
- 70241-5
- 70241-5
Result Turnaround Time
1-3 days
Related Documents
For more information, please review the documents below
Specimen
Plasma
Volume
1.5 mL
Minimum Volume
0.8 mL
Container
Plastic vial
Collection Instructions
Centrifuge blood collection tube and aliquot plasma into plastic vial per collection tube manufacturer's instructions. Freeze aliquoted plasma for shipment.
Storage Instructions
Freeze plasma specimen at -20 to -80 degrees Celsius until shipment on dry ice.
Causes for Rejection
Gross hemolysis
Stability Requirements
| Temperature | Period |
|---|---|
| Refrigerated | 6 days |
| Frozen | 84 days |