Screwing Up the Rapid HIV Test Kit

[Mastiff]

Hi guys,

 

I've always played safe, except when it comes to receiving oral. But since I've been a bit more active with strangers of late, I bought myself a couple of Rapid HIV Test Kits just in case.

 

But today I screwed up the first test. Instead of pricking my finger with the needle provided, I pricked the back of my hand instead. Yeah, I know I'm a coward, and it shouldn't hurt that much. But I thought that my fingertips have a lot more sensory nerves, so I wanted to find a fleshy part of my body that would hurt less.

 

Anyway, long story short, there was just a tiny dot of blood. I squeezed and squeezed my skin, but the wound healed closed very quickly. So I used the pipette and sucked up what I could. But it was definitely less than a full drop of blood. I then diluted it with the reagent provided and dripped it into the test kit. It seemed to work normally. A RED Line appeared instantly at the "C" indicator, but the "T" Line remained white, even at the 15 minute mark.

 

I knew that I botched the test, so I opened up a brand new kit and pricked my hand again. This time on the side of my thumb. OOOWWWWW!!! Physical discomfort, but results still negative.

 

Anyway, what I want to know is was the second test necessary?

 

If you simply drip plain reagent into the Rapid HIV Test Kit, without furnishing any blood whatsoever, does the "C" Line still appear? Or will it only appear in the presence of Real Blood? 

 

Any doctors, medical staff, trained volunteers or test kit manufacturers care to comment, please?

 

Thanks alot!

[Guest Guest]

If the C-line on the device turns dark, then that is an indication that the test is working properly, but if no C-line appears then that is an indication that the test is malfunctioning. In other words, a C-line should appear every time, regardless of whether the result is positive (meaning HIV antibodies have been detected) or negative (meaning HIV antibodies have not been detected). A negative result occurs when only the C-line appears, but a positive result occurs when both the T-line and C-line appear. The T-line emerges as a result of the collection of HIV antibodies in the sample.

 

be it third gen or fourth gen, it's all about having sufficient antibodies or antigen in that amount of blood for the kit to detect. thats why they always say third gen is only sensitive after 3 months from date of exposure, and at least 2 weeks (i think) for fourth gen, because at that point of time, the amount of antibodies/antigen will be present in 'large amount' for the kit to detect.

 

if you dilute your blood, it will reduce the amount of antibodies/antigen for the kit to detect, also depends on how long ago you've been exposed. no matter what, want to do a test, do it properly, follow instruction, else if false positive, you're only scaring yourself. 

[Mastiff]

Thanks for making the effort of providing such a detailed reply, buddy.

 

Sorry if I'm a little slow, but will the C-Line appear solely in the presence of the reagent but zero blood?

 

Or does it require at least a little blood to make the C-Line appear in the first place?

[Guest Guest]

the purpose of the buffer is to allow the antigen/antibodies to flow/diffuse through the strip front the point where you drip the blood to the test region. 

 

the c-line is the internal control area or region within the individual testing device.

This type of control verifies the flow of either specimen and / or buffer through the test device resulting in an appearance of a line or dot in the control region. In other words, in some test devices, a line in the control area may appear even if blood is not added, unlike other test devices with an anti-IgG control. In this instance, a control line will not appear if blood (containing IgG) is not detected.

 

so really depends on your kit. 

[Guest Guest]

and by the way, follow the timing specified on the kit when you read the result. i.e., how long to wait before you can read the result. 

some kit, or maybe all, as I was told by my doctor, the T line will appear after leaving it for a 'long' time.  supposedly due to breakdown of the non-hiv related antibodies/antigen (normal antibodies/antigen) in the blood such that parts of the broken down molecules managed to fit onto the 'indicator' at the T line and proceed to appear a red line. that's false positive.  

 

 

[Vometra]

Where did you buy the kits?

[Mastiff]

3 hours ago, Vometra said:

Where did you buy the kits?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/5x-HIV-Test-Kit