Abstract

LOPEZ-HERNANDEZ, S.  and  EIROS-BOUZA, J.M.. Control de las determinaciones serológicas de individuos VIH positivos en un centro hospitalario . Rev Diagn Biol [online]. 2001, vol.50, n.4, pp.193-196. ISSN 0034-7973.

This study aims at assessing the serologic markers carried out in patients infected with human inmunodeficiency virus (HIV), so as to reduce the number of unnecessary tests that have been performed until recently. During the period 1994 to 1997, the information from serological tests for HIV patients was checked using different types of markers and comparing the overall results with those obtained in the test for the general population at a given health district.  A total of 21241 antibodies was analysed. Great variability was found in the number of tests for the anti-human inmunodeficiency virus antibodies detection in HIV patients: out of 912 individuals, 57% had been tested more than once; 7% of them had even been tested over five times. Moreover, a high number of demands for other serological markers was observed.  These results suggest that, although the tests for the confirmation of HIV infection are of paramount importance, the unnecessary repetition of the different serological markers, not only does not contribute positively to the study of this disease, but also brings about an increase in the costs and workload of the laboratory.

Keywords : HIV; Serology; Cost.