Western Blot test for HIV

The Western Blot Test for HIV is a highly specific confirmatory test used to detect antibodies against individual HIV proteins (HIV-1 and/or HIV-2). It is usually performed after an initial reactive screening test such as ELISA or rapid HIV tests. The test works by separating HIV proteins and identifying specific antibody-protein bands, which confirms true infection and rules out false-positive screening results. Although many modern algorithms now use immunoassay combinations and nucleic acid tests, Western Blot is still recognized as a classical confirmatory method in HIV diagnosis, especially in reference and academic settings.