Laboratory Medicine Division
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The Laboratory for Viruses and Molecular Biology is an integral part of the
AIDS Center at the hospital. This laboratory performs as much as one third of the total number of tests carried out in Israel to detect carriers of the AIDS causing virus (HIV). Furthermore, it is one of only two of its kind in the country, which performs molecular tests aimed to determine whether the HIV virus of patients is resistant to antiviral drug treatment.
The laboratory is also highly experienced in the development and implementation of molecular diagnostic assays for various infectious diseases.
תוכן עמוד
Tests performed
- Screening for HIV carriers – This is a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA) carried out in sera of patients to detect viral P-24 antigen and anti HIV antibodies to identify HIV carriers.
- HIV viral load – This is a molecular test that uses the advanced technology of Real-time PCR for monitoring HIV levels in the blood of infected patients. This test is carried out as part of routine follow-up of HIV carriers.
- CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte count – This test monitors lymphocyte sub-populations in HIV-infected patients, as a measure of their immune status. The test is performed by Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter (FACS).
- Resistance tests – These are highly sophisticated molecular tests by which the HIV genome is isolated from the patient's blood and is sequenced to identify mutations in the viral protease, reverse transcriptase and integrase genes, which are known to confer resistance to antiviral drug treatment. These tests are performed in patients failing therapy, as well as in newly diagnosed patients, prior to drug treatment.
- HLA-B*5701 typing – This is a molecular test which uses real-time PCR methodology to determine the presence of this allele in HIV carriers. Such typing is a standard of care requirement prior to initiation of Abacavir drug treatment
