Q and A

Question

Will HIV die as the blood from a test is transferred to a petri dish?

19 August 2010. Related: All topics, HIV testing.

Hello,

I went to a GUM clinic today and got a full STI test done, all is fine. However, I have one questions which I thought you could help me with. They took my blood the standard way and then she emptied the blood into a disc container saying she prepared it for the lab.

Now I’m slightly worried that the virus might have died while swapping the blood over. Would the test still be able to pick up the DNA, proteins, antigens, cells (don’t know what they’re called) can you help me on this? How is the blood checked once in the lab?

Thanks in advance for the reply.

Answer

Answer: Charlotte Walker

Thank you for your question.

Putting the blood into a reagent would not affect the test at all. The reagent would stop the sample from clotting or drying out before the lab had chance to use it.

The tests used in GUM clinics look for antigens which are proteins on the surface of the virus and antibodies, which are generated as part of an immune response to the presence of HIV. Neither of these markers are ‘alive’. This means if there was virus present and it died it would not affect the accuracy of the test.

Once this blood is in the lab it will be run through a machine which will look for both the antibodies and the antigens.

4 comments

  1. Charlotte Walker •

    Yes it would be fine.

  2. susan •

    Also this test was done for a private lab as well. So I simply had the test done – they took some blood for there use and I sent the rest back – again it would be ok wouldnt it?

  3. Charlotte Walker •

    Hi Susan,

    Yes the tests look for viral RNA which is very similar to DNA. The PCR tests are accurate about 10 days after a possible exposure. For more information about this test please follow this link.

  4. susan •

    Thanks for the advice – much appreciated

    I hope I didn’t sound to thick while saying all if that and is that what its called a perti dish…I wanted to add my GUM clinic did a PCR test on me for visa reasons and I did have to pay slightly for the test and certificate but would that still be present I believe they look for the actual cell or DNA? Am I right?