A potential donor is angry at the personal nature of the ...

[joe]

A potential donor is angry at the personal nature of the questions about HIV risk factors that he is required to answer at a blood collection center and states that simple blood testing should suffice. How can the nurse at the center best respond?
 
  A)
  There are some very uncommon subtypes of the HIV virus that are not detectable by current testing methods.
  B)
  There's a chance that persons who are asymptomatic, but HIV positive can have their antibodies missed by serum testing.
  C)
  There's a period shortly after someone is infected with HIV when blood tests might still be negative.
  D)
  Even though blood tests are completely accurate, the high stakes of blood donation and transfusion mean that double measures are appropriate.

Question 2

A nurse is providing care for a 17-year-old boy who has experienced recurrent sinus and chest infections throughout his life and presently has enlarged tonsils and lymph nodes.
 
  Blood work indicated normal levels of B cells and free immunoglobulins but a lack of differentiation into normal plasma cells. The boy is currently receiving intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. What is the boy's most likely diagnosis?
  A)
  X-linked hypogammaglobulinem ia
  B)
  Transient hypoglobulinemia
  C)
  Common variable immunodeficiency
  D)
  IgG subclass deficiency

[owenfalvey]

Answer to Question 1

Ans:
C

Feedback:

The time after infection and before seroconversion is known as the window period, during which HIV antibody screening may be negative. Potential donors are thus screened to identify potential risk factors. Undetectable subtypes of HIV do not exist, and individuals who are asymptomatic are still able to be accurately tested.

Answer to Question 2

Ans:
C

Feedback:

The lack of a terminal differentiation from B cells into plasma cells is the hallmark of common variable immunodeficiency. Recurrent infections, enlarged lymph nodes and tonsils, and IVIG therapy are also commonly associated.