HIV testing: changing trends.

Abstract

HIV testing: changing trends SIR,-Dr E J Beck and colleagues (18 July, p 191) drew attention to steep increases in the number of requests from patients in London for tests for antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in October and November 1986 and March 1987, which coincided with the publicity campaigns associated with the government's edu- cational programme about the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS).In Liverpool a similar trend was observed at the Public Health Laboratory, where these tests are performed on specimens submitted mainly from clinics for sexually transmitted diseases but also from hospital departments, drug dependency clinics, and general practitioners.The table shows the numbers of specimens for this test received monthly in the laboratory between May 1986 and June 1987, together with the number that were positive for antibody to HIV and the number of these that were from new patients.Sharp increases occurred in Liverpool at about the same time as in London, and, although, as in London, there was a pronounced fall in numbers from the peak in March 1987, the level maintained since then is much higher than that in the corresponding period in 1986.Though the proportion of patients who were found to be positive was much lower in Liverpool than in London, we also found that as the number of tests increased so the proportion that yielded positive results tended to decrease.Number of specimens for tests for antibody to HIV