How to Read Western Blot HIV Test Results

A western blot, or immunoblot, HIV test is used to find out whether the subject's body is producing detectable levels of the antigen produced by the immune system when the HIV-1 virus is present in the bloodstream. It is widely considered to be one of the most accurate ways to detect HIV infection.

Things You'll Need

• Physician

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Instructions

Get to Know the Detection Methods Used in Western Blot Testing

• 1

  Visit your doctor or local sexual-health clinic to have a western blot HIV test performed. These tests usually make use of blood or oral-fluid samples as specimens to be analyzed for the presence of HIV-1 antigens.

• 2

  Read the results of your western blot test with the assistance of the health-care professional who performed the test in the first place. Laboratory documents are technical in nature.

• 3

  Learn the basic differences between the five detection methods: colorimetric detection, chemiluminescence, radioactive detection, fluorescent detection and secondary probing.

• 4

  Use the colorimetric detection method to turn the dye used in the specimen tray to a color that will indicate the presence or non-presence of HIV-1 antigens.

• 5

  Apply the chemiluminescence method to apply light to a digital or photographic image of the sample to find whether or not antigens are present.

• 6

  Use X-ray film in tandem with the western blot sample to read whether or not the HIV-1 antigens are present. This is known as the radioactive-detection method.

• 7

  Have the antigens detected with the help of highly sensitive, specialized camera equipment that can sense light emitted from excited positive-sample particles. Called the fluorescent-detection method, this technique is very intricate, but produces highly accurate results.

• 8

  Ask your doctor which of these methods was used in the lab that analyzed your tissue sample. Understand the specific criteria involved in determining a non-reactive (negative) or reactive (positive) result, depending on the detection method used.

• 9

  Go to the doctor's office or clinic where you were tested to read the results with the help of your doctor.

• 10

  Make arrangements for any further testing that may be necessary.