WHO recommends countries move away from the use of western blotting and line immunoassays in HIV testing strategies and algorithms
27 November 2019
| Policy brief
Overview
WHO recommends replacing western blotting and line immunoassays with simpler tests in HIV testing services. These simpler tests include rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) that can be used at the point-of-care, and enzyme immunoassays (EIAs).
These tests get results to the client faster, produce accurate results more often, cost less, can be performed by various cadres of health providers, and can thus facilitate greater access and uptake of HIV testing services among those who need it most.
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Web annexes
- Annex A - GRADE Table: Which demand creation approaches are effective for increasing uptake of HIV testing and onward linkage to prevention, treatment and care? (PDF, 654 KB)
- Annex B - GRADE Table: Should HIV self-testing be offered as an additional HIV testing approach? (PDF, 619 KB)
- Annex C - GRADE Table: Should social network-based approaches be offered as an additional HIV testing approach for key populations and their contacts? (PDF, 437 KB)
- Annex D - GRADE Table: Should western blotting and line immunoassays be used in national testing strategies and algorithms? (PDF, 665 KB)
- Annex E - Abstract: Performance of HIV testing strategies: considerations for global guideline development (PDF, 299 KB)
- Annex F - Abstract: Modelling the cost-effectiveness of maternal HIV retesting in high- and low-HIV burden settings (PDF, 388 KB)
- Annex G - Abstract: Modelling the cost-effectiveness of using HIV/syphilis dual tests in antenatal care in high and low HIV burden settings (PDF, 240 KB)
- Annex H - Considerations for monitoring HIV testing services programmes (PDF, 253 KB)
- Annex I - In vitro diagnostics for HIV diagnosis (PDF, 313 KB)
- Annex J- Ensuring the quality of HIV testing services (PDF, 276 KB)
- Annex K - Global examples of HIV testing services (PDF, 1.7 MB)
- Annex L - Symptom and risk-based screening to optimize HIV testing services: a scoping review (PDF, 727 KB)
Editors
WHO
Number of pages
4
Reference numbers
WHO Reference Number: WHO/CDS/HIV/19.30
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