Diagnosis of HIV is the laboratory and clinical process of identifying infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, the retrovirus that progressively destroys CD4 T-lymphocytes and impairs cell-mediated immunity. Detection relies on identifying the virus or the host response to it: antibody and combined antigen-…
Diagnosis of HIV is the laboratory and clinical process of identifying infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, the retrovirus that progressively destroys CD4 T-lymphocytes and impairs cell-mediated immunity. Detection relies on identifying the virus or the host response to it: antibody and combined antigen-antibody immunoassays, confirmatory and rapid tests, and nucleic-acid amplification for viral RNA, supplemented by CD4 counting to assess immune status and stage. The diagnostic window, the interval before markers become detectable, and the possibility of false-positive or false-negative results make confirmatory testing and quality assurance essential. Early and accurate diagnosis is the gateway to antiretroviral therapy, prevention of opportunistic infection, monitoring of disease progression, and interruption of onward transmission, and it must be coupled with counselling, disclosure support, and linkage to care. Diagnostic services are delivered through voluntary counselling and testing, provider-initiated testing, and increasingly self-testing, with attention to access, adherence, and the needs of specific populations. Research relevant to this area examines the clinical profiles and outcomes of HIV-infected patients, false-positive testing scenarios, cognitive and cardiovascular comorbidity in people aging with HIV, two-drug treatment regimens, and the social and behavioural determinants of testing and disclosure. The journal publishes peer-reviewed studies on the diagnosis, testing, and clinical management of HIV infection.
12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 12 articles above have been cited 70 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Diagnosis of Hiv, linking to each citing work.