Test Details

Mnemonic

HIVUL

Ordering Code

3041700

CPT-4 Code(s)

87536

Specimen Information

Collect

Lavender EDTA

Specimen Preparation

Centrifuge and separate plasma from cells within 6 hours of collection. Send 3.0 mL plasma in a screw capped plastic vial. Dedicated specimens are required.

Alternate Specimen

Plasma: Yellow ACD A

Minimum Volume

2.5 mL

Transport Temperature

Frozen

Rejection Criteria

Serum specimens, shared specimens, specimens subjected to repeated freeze-thaw cycles, specimens that do not meet the handling/storage criteria listed above, gel based plasma separation media (PPT)

Stability

Room temperature: Unacceptable
Refrigerated: 3 days
Frozen (-20°C): 3 days
Frozen (-70°C): 6 weeks

Methodology

Abbott RealTime HIV-1 system uses an in vitro reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction
(RT-PCR) assay for the detection and quantitation of the diverse group M subtypes A-H as well as
group O and N isolates.
The lower limit of quantitation is 20 copies/mL (1.30 log copies/mL) and the upper limit of
quantitation is 10,000,000 copies/mL (7.0 log copies/mL). The qualitative limit of detection is 20
copies/mL (1.30 log copies/mL). Specimens reported as DETECTED but <20 copies/mL contain
detectable levels of HIV-1 RNA even though the viral load is below the limit of quantitation.
more

Reference Range

HIV-1 RNA: Not detected
HIV-1 RNA Quantitative: <20 copies/mL
LOG HIV CP U/mL: <1.3
more

Performing Laboratory

Warde Medical Laboratory
more