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With about five new HIV-positive cases detected every month in Bhutan, the country recorded 34 more HIV-positive cases between December last and June this year, taking the total number of detected cases to 380. Of the 34 new cases, 18 are male and the remaining females. Two are minors, aged two and three years, according to Bhutan's health ministry.
A majority of them were adults within the productive age group of 20 to 39 years, while seven were aged between 40 and 49 years, the Himalayan nation's national newspaper Kuensel reported. Records show that since 2006 about 25 new cases were detected every year, while in the last three years the average yearly detection stood at about 42 cases. (Read: Living with HIV diagnosis, treatment and prevention)
Unlike countries where female are disproportionately affected, health officials said the situation was different in Bhutan. Of the total 380 cases detected, 191 were males and 189 females. (Read: 12 HIV/AIDS symptoms that you need to watch out for)
Here's some brief information on advanced tests for HIV diagnosis with inputs from Dr Shroff.
Tests for detecting antibodies against HIV
1. ELISA test: ELISA or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is the first test that is carried out to detect HIV. It is capable of detecting the presence of antibodies to both HIV 1 and HIV 2 virus. It can detect recent infection much earlier than other tests detecting only antibodies (upto 14 days after exposure).
Once the first immunoassay result is found to be positive, follow-up diagnostic tests are performed. These include:
2. Antibody differentiation test: This test distinguishes HIV-1 virus from HIV-2. An HIV-1 nucleic acid test will directly test for HIV-1 virus.
3. Western blot test: It detects the presence of antibodies in the immune system and is performed to confirm the results of two positive ELISA tests. It can cost about Rs 2500.
An ELISA test followed by Western blot is currently the gold standard for detecting HIV.
Tests detecting the HIV antigen
4. PCR for plasma HIV RNA test: PCR or polymerase chain reaction is a test to detect the viral load in the body. It detects the presence of virus in the blood within 9 days of infection. This test detects the virus directly (instead of the antibodies to HIV) and thus can detect HIV in just about 10 days after infection, which is as soon as it appears in the bloodstream, even before antibodies start getting produced. This tests cost more than antibody tests and is generally not used as a screening test. It can cost about Rs 4000. Read more about HIV diagnosis 5 tests to detect a recent HIV infection
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With inputs from IANS
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