EBV Infection and HIV Antibody Reactivity in a First Time Donor

An 18-years-old female college student was screened as a first-time blood (plateletpheresis) donor and was found to have a highly positive HIV Ab serological test. Negative Western Blot (WB), HIV p24 antigen and NAT HCV RNA/HIV-1 RNA/HBV DNA assays confirmed that the donor was not infected with HIV. The use of other laboratory tests revealed an Epstein Barr infection with positive EBV Viral Capsid Antigen (VCA IgM and VCA IgG) antibodies and also positive heterophile antibodies. False-positive results of HIV infection by serological tests, relate to multiple factors and underlying disease states. Crossreactivity can be rarely seen in patients with other viral diseases, whereas heterophile antibodies can cause false positive results when binding to non-human antibodies used in commercially available immunoassays.