DHS Conducts Statewide Survey About False-Positive HIV Test Results
The Department of Health Services is conducting a statewide survey after use of an oral HIV test in San Francisco clinics yielded an unusual number of false-positive test results, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Public health clinics in San Francisco have reported at least 47 false positives using the OraQuick Advance HIV test.
Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, director of sexually transmitted disease prevention and control services for San Francisco, said about one of four positive test results using OraQuick is incorrect. As a result, Klausner has discontinued use of the test at City Clinic, San Francisco's primary testing center for syphilis, gonorrhea and HIV.
To date, the DHS survey has not found a similar problem statewide. Los Angeles results are pending.
The San Francisco data has been sent to the Office of AIDS, CDC and Orasure Technologies, which manufactures OraQuick.
Orasure CEO Douglas Michels said similar issues have not been reported in other cities where OraQuick is used (Russel, San Francisco Chronicle, 12/9).