Donated blood; HIV test?

I had a friend who donated blood then received a letter that they detected HIV and wouldn't be using her blood. She freaked out but calmed herself down by saying it was a false positive. What are the odds that it's a false positive. She got drunk and cried about it 2 years later. I've tried to talk to her about getting another test done w/ her doctor but she's afraid of the results, but she'd live a better life if she found out sooner. She's putting off a lot of things in life because she's afraid she might have it, but she won't get a 2nd test. I don't know how to convince her to go. My question is though, how accurate is that detection?

BS? Gee I dunno CS, why would someone lie to their "best friend" about something so serious??

if shes embaressed about going to the doctor which could be why she hasnt gone, she could get an at home test. you just prick your finger drop three drops of blood and send it out to the lab, in a few days you call with a pin number and get the results no name needed. at least shell know then. any drug store should sell these tests

very, its rare that theres a false positive especially from a blood bank. She needs to go get checked out before something happens to her and before she has another partener. It will benefit her greatly and her future.

wow thats harsh i'd say a lot of times it's pretty accurate but there is times when it isn't

It's a fairly accurate test. It's possible that she got a false positive, but more likely that she has HIV. She needs to go get retested now. The sooner she gets on a good medication schedule the better and longer her life is likely to be.

More than likely it is accurate. The test is over 90% accurate. However, in a situation where you are donating blood, it is easy to get samples mixed up. But she is putting her own life and maybe the life of others in jeopardy because she won't go. Seems like she is using it as an excuse not to get on with her life. However.. my bs detector is going off a little bit. For some reason, I think your friend may not be telling you the truth about this... there may be no positive test.

If your friend is so freaked out about it, there must be a substantial chance that she is HIV positive. Tell her that if she is positive, she's only hurting herself by not knowing for sure. Remind her that HIV positive patients often have wonderful and fulfilling lives, and that she should act to confirm the first test.

False positives are much more common than false negatives (for obvious reasons), so there is indeed a chance that she's been miscounselled. There could also have been a mixup with the blood- those kinds of things happen all the time. Either way, continue to encourage her to retest, as she needs to know- not only for her health, but for the health of others around her!

best way is to tell her straight if not now then never....i mean its best to get the test done (again) just to be sure.........

Convince her by any mean ......If she is married ask her to think about her husband & children...........if she has boyfrnd...ask her to think about him.........about parents.......about .......i mean something she has liken for....

my best wishes.......things will be alrit soon.....

Go with your friend to a clinic and have her take a rapid HIV test. Convince her it is better finding the truth in 20 minutes than to let a cloud of doubt control her life. Hope it works out in her favor.

This is a good illustration of why HIV test results should always be given in person by a qualified person who can explain what they mean, and not by mail or phone.

Blood banks should NEVER send letters like that. Any abnormal test results should always be given in person, especially HIV results, which are complicated, and are often misunderstood. I suspect your friend has misinterpreted the letter. I find it hard to believe that any responsible health practitioner would inform someone they might have HIV by letter.

If this were a blood bank in my country I would be having stern words with the director about their procedures for notifying people with abnormal test results.

What has possibly happened is her blood has reacted positive on the first screening test (the ELISA). You don't say whether the blood bank has done a Western Blot test as well as an ELISA. If both an ELISA and a Western Blot are positive then it's likely to be a true positive, but an ELISA alone is much more likely to be a false positive in the blood donor population.

However, your friend can only sort out whether it's a true or false positve by seeing her doctor for more tests. Don't do a home test or a rapid test: there's a good chance these will react with a false positive too if she's already had a false positive ELISA. She needs the proper standard test (including a Western Blot), and may need to do it twice to get an accurate result.

It's a pity she has waited so long to do this, because chances are she's been worried about nothing. She does need to sort it out face to face with a proper health practitioner, though.

My husband worked in a lab for over 30 years, part of them at a blood bank. Chances are that the test was accurate but there is ALWAYS the possibility that something went wrong. I can't understand why she wouldn't want to seek help. If it turns out that the test was wrong then think of how relieved she will be. And if it turns out that it was right then she certainly needs to know about that. If she doesn't care about herself then she should think about her partners, current and future. She could actually be held liable if she infects someone else. All you can do is talk to her and encourage her. Let her know that you will support her no matter what the results and she is a lot better off knowing for sure. HIV and AIDS are no longer the death sentance they once were. Lots of people are living with the disease.