Fearing that more than 40,000 of US citizens are infected with HIV annually with 25% ignorant of their condition, local health departments in the United States advised easy mouth swab tests to ascertain the presence of HIV.
A swab test for HIV that began with such a motive went awfully haywire and upset the mood of 232 people who wrongly tested positive.Those who tested at the New York City’s clinics between November 2007 and April 2008 were wrongly tested as positive for HIV. These test results were verified by a compulsory blood test which enabled a clear picture.
The Centers for Disease Control is conducting an investigation against Orasure Technologies, the manufacturers of the swab test.
Ruling out any harm to victims of this erroneous finding, Susan Blank, assistant DOH commissioner and director of the bureau of STDdefine control, confirmed that all victims have received communication about the mistake.
Source-Medindia
SAV/L
