Case Definition

Confirmed Case

For adults, adolescents & children ≥ 18 months:

• detection of HIV antibody by screening test (i.e., ELISA or point of care HIV test) followed by positive confirmatory test (i.e., Western blot, Immunoblot or nucleic acid amplification test); OR
• detection of HIV nucleic acid (RNA or DNA; detectable viral load); OR
• detection of p24 antigen with confirmation by neutralization assay; OR
• isolation of HIV in culture.

For children < 18 months:

• detection of HIV DNA by nucleic acid amplification testing on two separate samples collected at different times [1].

Notes

1. For determination of the timing for HIV testing for clinical diagnosis of HIV infection in children < 18 months of age, please refer to the appropriate clinical guidelines.

Further Information

For more information on the case definition of HIV, please refer to the Technical Appendix of the annual HIV/AIDS surveillance reports.