HIV:Diagnosis Of HIV-1/2 Infection in Individuals > 18 Months Old
2021-12-01
HIV-1/2 is diagnosed either by detecting HIV- specific antibodies or the virus itself. In individuals >18 months old the detection of HIV-specific antibodies remains the recommended method for routine diagnosis.
Maternal HIV-specific antibodiesmay be detectable in the infant up to the age of 18 months. For this reason, the diagnosis of HIV infection in infants depends on detection of the virus. HIV-1 DNA PCR is the test of choice.