In one day I have read that the saliva is being tested for HIV antibodies. And I also read that it is Oral Mucosal Transudate – now thats medical termionology! And I have also read it’s oral fluid. So just to be clear here. It looks like they’re testing saliva for HIV. But won’t this confuse some people? Isn’t the old myth about HIV not being transmitted by a a kiss then refuted and aren’t we left to think that if someone is very virulent that they may somehow pass HIV by their saliva?
The information keeps watering down and degenerating and the myths keep bouncing back.
Ó 2008 Carlos A. Perez
2 responses so far ↓
Ruairi // February 4, 2009 at 1:54 pm
It is the oral mucosal transudate (most definitely not the saliva) which is tested .. and it is tested for the presence of HIV antibodies -not the virus itself – so it shouldn’t, in a rational world, have any bearing at all on the perceived infectiousness of saliva (or any other oral fluids).
fixingourselves // February 16, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Some people may be confused and not believe in the results of a test that swabs the inside of the mouth. Worse then, some people may believe that if this test can test for HIV, that HIV may be found in the mouth or the saliva. What I wanted to get across is that incorrect myths evolve through mistakes or human error whether by thought or action. I worked at an organization where we swabbed nearly 2000 people during a pilot-testing program and all the tests came back negative. This testing site was in the middle of a neighborhood riddled with HIV risks. After quality assurance testing I found that the Physician Assistants were misreading the tests by reading them too quickly before the 20 minutes that are required by the manufacturer of the test before a preliminary decision may be deemed accurate. What is the difference then if a test is misread or misunderstood by a supposedly qualified professional, a person in their home taking the test they purchased at the store or a person that is just too afraid to take any action because of the result f these incorrect myths? These incorrect myths become new fears that keep people from understanding the truth. This may be specially true when this HIV testing technique may be misconstrued or if someone may still think that all there is in the mouth is saliva. Most of us on this globe are not as savvy or sophisticated enough to understand the difference between oral mucosal transudate and what we’ve always understood to be in our mouth and that is saliva. In the rush to get HIV testing done, we’ve passed by the stop sign of the blood test because it requires more time to get accurate results. In the mean time, those who are going to spread the virus will spread the virus no matter how quickly you can provide them with a result. This is because people who are going to spread the virus anyhow are not thinking clearly for many reasons. Many people never come back for results regardless of the testing technique, and these people continue to spread the virus. It’s all about taking more time and money…ah; there it is…to do HIV pre-testing counseling and education. This is something that during the ABCs of HIV testing and faith-based programs got left behind the wheels of rational thinking and behavior.