Prevalence and outcomes of HIV‐1 diagnostic challenges during universal birth testing – an urban South African observational cohort

Abstract

Indeterminate HIV-1 PCR results accounted for a quarter of non-negative results at birth and were associated with a high risk of infection in comparison to the risk of <i>in utero</i> transmission. Indeterminate birth results with positive HIV PCR results on repeat testing were associated with later final diagnosis. The HIV-1 status remains uncertain in a minority of cases because of repeatedly indeterminate results, highlighting the need for more sensitive and specific virological tests.