Association of Schistosomiasis with False-Positive HIV Test Results in an African Adolescent Population

Screening for hepatitis C virus infection in a high prevalence country by an antigen/antibody combination assay versus a rapid test

“…In African samples, cross-reactivity with other endemic infections or the higher IgG levels may adversely affect the specificity of immunoassays, as described for HIV (Everett et al, 2010; Simooya et al, 1988) and HTLV-1 infections (Mahieux et al, 2000). This may explain the non-specificity reported here.…”

Performance of a Rapid and Simple HIV Testing Algorithm in a Multicenter Phase III Microbicide Clinical Trial

“…We hypothesize that in Kampala, Uganda, in particular, participants had undiagnosed endemic non-HIV infections or circulating substances in their blood that may have cross-reacted with the Determine HIV-1/2 test (12). Cross-reactivity of HIV assays is not uncommon; a recent publication reported crossreactivity of the Murex HIV Ag/Ab combination enzyme immunoassay with S. haematobium IgG and a study from our group showed cross-reactivity of the Determine HIV-1/2 test with Trypanosoma brucei gambiense (8,17). The 124 results came from 98 women, and only 2 were ultimately diagnosed with HIV during the trial.…”

Acute Dengue Fever Causes False-Positive Reactivity in OraQuick Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody Test

“…In sub-Saharan Africa, false-positive HIV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) results were associated with a diagnosis of human African trypanosomiasis, 3 urinary schistosomiasis, 4 uncomplicated malaria, 5 and visceral leishmaniasis. 6 These false-positive results in HIV antibody detection testing have been attributed to polyclonal B-cell activation and/or high concentration of rheumatoid factor-like anti-immunoglobulin antibodies seen in these infections.…”