By Times-News, Burlington, N.C.
Nov. 8–LabCorp has launched a new HIV screening test that allows for earlier detection of the virus.
The test is designed to help identify newly infected HIV patients by using nucleic acid testing on antibody samples that have come out negative.
A test is negative when no or few antibodies that defend against the virus are detected in the patient’s blood. However, this doesn’t mean the person has not contracted the virus.
If a person was infected with the virus shortly before the test was conducted, there is a chance that the person hasn’t developed detectable levels of HIV antibodies.
During this period, infected individuals are considered significant contributors to the spread of the virus since they are unaware of their HIV status.
“There are nearly one million people in the United States infected with HIV, with approximately 40,000 new infections every year,” said Myla Lai- Goldman, a LabCorp executive vice president. “Earlier diagnosis leads to earlier referral for appropriate care.” The new test combines antibody screening with HIV nucleic acid testing using pooled samples. Although it has not been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration for diagnosing HIV infection, this method can help identify the virus up to six weeks sooner than standard HIV antibody screening.
With more than 3,200 local employees and 24,500 employees nationwide, Labcorp is Alamance County’s largest employer and the second-largest clinical laboratory in North America.
The laboratory offers clinical tests ranging from blood analyses to HIV and genomic testing to more than 220,000 clients.
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