Chicagoist: HIV Transmitted By Organ Donation at Three Chicago Hospitals

Mo

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 17:46:42 -0600

Actually, if a test returns a high number of false positives (like the PCR test), it is not a SPECIFIC test. But it can be (and is) a sensitive test. Sensitivity measures the number of true positives. Specificity measures the number of true negatives. A low sensitivity test would return a high number of false negatives.

rocketslide

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 15:23:24 -0600

Medically speaking, if PCR returns a high number of false positives, then it's not a sensitive test.

Mo

Tue, 13 Nov 2007 14:02:17 -0600

This is tragic, and I feel really bad for the organ recipients. But why the hell is the protocol still to use ELISA (antibody) testing? PCR (RNA) testing is far more sensitive and detects the viral presence earlier. It's much more expensive, and it returns a high number of false positives (which can later be resolved with an ELISA test), which is why it's not the primary diagnostic test. But if it's a matter of donating organs to other people, shouldn't they pay the extra expense and be extra careful?