The Meeting

Sometimes I like to write my postings the night before, wake up the next morning, fire up my computer, go down stairs, make my Christian Crank (aka coffee), check e mail, then change my draft posting to publish. The information I am going to pass on to you today I feel is to important to wait. Last night I went to a county HIV/Aids task force meeting and learned that the rapid HIV/AIDS testing was having problems. This particular test is the " Orasure Rapid HIV Test." It is a twenty minute test used by many anonymous testing facilities to test for the HIV virus. This is also the test that they use here in Santa Cruz county for testing. This was the first of two test I had when I found out I was positive.

From the information at the meeting, the test is now giving false positive results in the California testing areas, and or they are conclusive results. Just like a home pregnancy test ( yeah, how would I know that one). Their is a control line and a line that develops underneath the control line if you are positive after soaking in the solution for twenty minutes. With this particular batch California received, the test lines are lighter then usual, and they are only going half way across the mouth swab. This has happened in two major testing areas here, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, and even here in Santa Cruz. Usually the test is 99.99 percent accurate L. A., and S. F. are about 99.3 percent at this posting. Still a pretty good accuracy conclusive rate. Personally I like that rapid testing. You do not have to wait at home pondering if you are, or not positive for two weeks. So don't be afraid to get tested. Don't be like me thinking your fine if you haven't been intimate with someone for awhile. Early detection is the best thing you can do for yourself.