Laboratory testing for the diagnosis of HIV infection can be divided into four main categories:
• Antibody detection
• Antigen detection
• Testing for viral nucleic acid (RNA or PRO DNA)
• Culturing for the virus
Elisa antibody detection is the serological screening test used often to detect HIV Infection.
Third generation ELISA's, which use recombinant antigens, are highly specific and highly sensitive. It is therefore recommended that for laboratory diagnosis of HIV infection, two ELISA'S for antibody detection should be done, one for screening and the other for confirmation. The two have to be positive for one to make a laboratory diagnosis of HIV - 1 infection. In the event that one ELISA is positive and another negative, testing for viral nucleic acid (polymorase chain reaction - PCR) can be used for confirmation of the serostatus or Western blot assays.