Effective today, January 18, 2022, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC) core clinical laboratory will switch the main HIV screening test to the Roche Diagnostics Elecsys HIV Duo assay.  Similar to the previous Roche HIV Combi PT assay used at UIHC, the HIV Duo screening assay detects HIV-1 p24 antigen and antibodies, as well as antibodies to HIV-2.  There is a single negative/positive result indicating the presence of antigen and/or antibodies to HIV.

Sample requirements, results reporting, confirmation testing, and consent process are not changing with this switch in screening assay.  Based on validation data and published literature, there may be a small number of patients who are weakly positive on one assay but not the other.

Like many other HIV screening tests, the Combo assay is not approved for children less than two years old.  For HIV screening in children less than two years, neonate-specific PCR testing is often used [Epic LAB8354].

The Epic name for the assay is not changing from previous: HIV ANTIGEN/ANTIBODY COMBO (HIV-1 & HIV-2) [LAB7444].  “HIV QUANTITATIVE PCR” [Epic 2468, “viral load”] will continue to be available.

Questions should be directed to Matthew Krasowski, MD, PhD, Director of Clinical Laboratories (384-9380, matthew-krasowski@uiowa.edu).