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1996-02-26
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Document 1059
DOCN M9621059
TI Use of pooling and outpatient laboratory specimens in an anonymous
seroprevalence survey of HIV infection in British Columbia, Canada.
DT 9602
AU Sherlock CH; Strathdee SA; Le T; Sutherland D; O'Shaughnessy MV;
Schechter MT; Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia,;
Vancouver, Canada.
SO AIDS. 1995 Aug;9(8):945-50. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/96014970
AB OBJECTIVE: To conduct an anonymous HIV seroprevalence survey to
establish a baseline estimate of HIV seroprevalence in a general
population; to evaluate serum pooling and alternative testing strategies
as cost-saving measures. DESIGN: Prospective anonymous HIV
seroprevalence study using outpatient laboratory specimens. SETTING: Two
large non-hospital-associated outpatient chemistry testing laboratories
in the major population centers in British Columbia, Canada. PATIENTS
AND SERA: Leftover sera received for chemistry screen testing in
outpatient laboratories were provided to the study after chemistry
testing was completed. Those from patients aged < 15 and > or = 55 years
were excluded. METHODS: Patient identifiers were erased from samples.
Sera were pooled 10:1 and tested by viral lysate enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Sera from HIV-positive pools were tested
individually. All individual HIV-positive specimens were retested for
verification of positivity using a recombinant protein ELISA. MAIN
OUTCOME MEASURES: HIV seroprevalence rates were stratified by sex, age
group, and geographic area; and costs of pooling and alternative
algorithm strategy were compared with those of conventional methods.
RESULTS: A total of 80,238 sera were collected from 66,658 individuals
(53% women, 47% men). Of these, 276 men (88.3 per 10,000) and 24 women
(6.8 per 10,000) were HIV-seropositive. The highest rates were in those
aged 30-34 years, for both men and women. Using pooling and non-Western
blot verification saved US$2.07 per specimen, or 80% of the cost for
conventional testing. CONCLUSIONS: The anonymous outpatient laboratory
setting is practicable to obtain a reasonable estimate of HIV
seroprevalence rates in a general population. Such studies can be made
cost-effective by pooling sera and using alternative confirmatory
strategies.
DE Adolescence Adult AIDS Serodiagnosis/ECONOMICS British
Columbia/EPIDEMIOLOGY Costs and Cost Analysis Female Human *HIV
Seroprevalence Laboratories Male Middle Age Outpatients Prospective
Studies Support, Non-U.S. Gov't JOURNAL ARTICLE
SOURCE: National Library of Medicine. NOTICE: This material may be
protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).