       Document 0824
 DOCN  M9640824
 TI    When to perform the final HIV antibody test following possible exposure.
       The British Co-operative Clinical Group.
 DT    9604
 AU    Clinic 1A, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
 SO    Int J STD AIDS. 1995 Sep-Oct;6(5):332-5. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96122189
 AB    The senior consultant and senior health adviser in all genitourinary
       medicine clinics in the UK were sent a questionnaire on HIV testing
       practice in seven clinical scenarios. For each scenario the recommended
       time interval between possible exposure and final HIV antibody test
       varied from a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of over 5 years. The
       results show 2 broad patterns: when the contact was not someone known to
       be HIV positive the commonest recommended time interval was 3 months;
       for a known exposure to HIV the commonest recommendation was 6 months.
       Only 16 out of the 151 clinics replying had a written policy setting out
       the interval to elapse between possible exposure to HIV and the final
       test for HIV antibodies. Variation of practice within clinics is less
       where written policies exist. Some staff in clinics are recommending
       inappropriately long intervals before the final HIV test.
 DE    Ambulatory Care Facilities/*ORGANIZATION & ADMIN  AIDS
       Serodiagnosis/*METHODS  Female  Great Britain  Gynecology  Human  HIV
       Seropositivity/*BLOOD  Male  Medical Directors  Organizational Policy
       Physician's Practice Patterns/*ORGANIZATION & ADMIN  Questionnaires
       Risk Factors  Time Factors  Urology  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

