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Can Meningococcal Vaccine 10 Days Prior To HIV Test Cause A False Positive?
Question: Can a mennicoccol vaccine 10 days prior to HIV test cause a false positive
Brief Answer:
Difficult for vaccine to cause false positive results for HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query
All tests can have false positives.
In this case however, there are no real interactions between meningococcal vaccination and HIV antibodies.
It has not been described in the literature to cause false positives in HIV.
It is possibly not due to a meningoccal vaccine that an HIV test could be a false positive.
Thanks and kind regards,
DR Bain
Difficult for vaccine to cause false positive results for HIV
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the query
All tests can have false positives.
In this case however, there are no real interactions between meningococcal vaccination and HIV antibodies.
It has not been described in the literature to cause false positives in HIV.
It is possibly not due to a meningoccal vaccine that an HIV test could be a false positive.
Thanks and kind regards,
DR Bain
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
I understand that their are no new discoveries due to the vaccine being new . I'm asking if an over abundance if the antibodies produced by vaccine can cross react or trick the rapid test . He also has a bacterial infection that was treated with levaquin . I umderatand false positives . I'm asking what can cause them on a screening test .
Brief Answer:
Unilikely that abundance of meningococcal antibody cause false positive,PCR
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the follow up query,
What screening tests do detect is antibodies to either viruses or bacteria. In this case, it is very unlikely since antibodies in case of HIV are viral antibodies and in case of vaccines, in this case a antibodies against meningococcal particles which are bacterial.
False positives can occur due to cross over reactions. Similar bacteria or similar viruses can produce similar antibodies. However, it is rare, not exceptional for viral antibodies to mimic bacterial antibodies.
In case of a positive test in this case, specific more sensitive and reliable tests that detect the viral particle its self like P24 and polymerase chain reactions (PCR) are readily available to clear doubts.
Thanks again and kind regards,
Dr Bain
Unilikely that abundance of meningococcal antibody cause false positive,PCR
Detailed Answer:
Hi and thanks for the follow up query,
What screening tests do detect is antibodies to either viruses or bacteria. In this case, it is very unlikely since antibodies in case of HIV are viral antibodies and in case of vaccines, in this case a antibodies against meningococcal particles which are bacterial.
False positives can occur due to cross over reactions. Similar bacteria or similar viruses can produce similar antibodies. However, it is rare, not exceptional for viral antibodies to mimic bacterial antibodies.
In case of a positive test in this case, specific more sensitive and reliable tests that detect the viral particle its self like P24 and polymerase chain reactions (PCR) are readily available to clear doubts.
Thanks again and kind regards,
Dr Bain
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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