Galiwango R.M., Musoke R., Lubyayi L., Ssekubugu R., Kalibbala S., Ssekweyama V., Mirembe V., Nakigozi G., Reynolds S.J., Serwadda D., Gray R.H., Kigozi G.
Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States; Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Division of Intramural Research, NIAID National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States; Makerere College of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda; Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, United States
Galiwango, R.M., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Musoke, R., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Lubyayi, L., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Ssekubugu, R., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Kalibbala, S., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Ssekweyama, V., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Mirembe, V., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Nakigozi, G., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda; Reynolds, S.J., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, Division of Intramural Research, NIAID National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States, Johns Hopkins University, School of Medicine, United States; Serwadda, D., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda, Makerere College of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Kampala, Uganda; Gray, R.H., Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States; Kigozi, G., Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda
Rapid HIV tests are a crucial component of HIV diagnosis in resource limited settings. In Uganda, the Ministry of Health allows both serial and parallel HIV rapid testing using Determine, Stat-Pak and Uni-Gold. In serial testing, a non-reactive result on Determine ends testing. The performance of serial and parallel algorithms with Determine and Stat-Pak test kits was assessed. A cross-sectional diagnostic test accuracy evaluation using three rapid HIV test kits as per the recommended parallel test algorithm was followed by EIA-WB testing with estimates of the performance of serial testing algorithm. In 2520 participants tested by parallel rapid algorithms, 0.6% had weakly reactive result. Parallel testing had 99.7% sensitivity and 99.8% specificity. If Stat-Pak was used as the first screening test for a serial algorithm, the sensitivity was 99.6% and specificity was 99.7%. However, if Determine was used as the screening test, sensitivity was 97.3% and specificity was 99.9%. Serial testing with Stat-Pak as the initial screening test performed as well as parallel testing, but Determine was a less sensitive screen. Serial testing could be cost saving. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.