A college student has been called into the student

23. A college student has been called into the student health office because she tested
positive for HIV on the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The student
asks, “What is this Western blot assay going to tell you?” The best response by the
health care provider is:
A) “We always want two positive test results before we give you medicine.”
B) “The Western blot is a more sensitive assay that looks for the presence of
antibodies to specific viral antigens.”
C) “This assay will actually look at all the individual cells in your blood and count

how many HIV cells you have, so we can treat you with the proper medication.”
D) “If you are afraid of another blood test, we can do a rapid oral test to see if we get
the same results.”
Ans: B
Feedback:
The Western blot is a more sensitive assay than the EIA that looks for the presence of
antibodies to specific viral antigens. In the case of a false-positive EIA result, the
Western blot test can identify the person as uninfected. Technologic advances have led
to new forms of testing, such as the oral test, home testing kits, and the new rapid blood
test. Oral fluids contain antibodies to HIV. In the late 1990s, the FDA approved the
OraSure test. The OraSure uses a cotton swab, which is inserted into the mouth for 2
minutes, placed in a transport container with preservative, and then sent to a laboratory
for EIA and Western blot testing.
24. Shortly after being diagnosed with HIV, a client has begun highly active antiretroviral
therapy (HAART). The client asks, “My doctor tells me that my viral load is going
down. What does that mean?” The nurse's best response is: