Field evaluation of five rapid diagnostic tests for screening of HIV-1 infections in rural Rakai, Uganda.

The performance characteristics of HIV rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) vary by test and by population. We assessed five commercial RDTs in Uganda where all but one RDT (Determine; Abbott Laboratories, Germany) performed close to manufacturer's expectations. Determine had low specificity (85.2%, positive predictive value 67.3%) due to false-positive results with weak-positive bands. Properly trained staff, good quality control programmes and validation of RDTs with laboratories having confirmatory testing capacity may be warranted to assure accuracy in each setting.