Branched DNA testing or bDNA testing is a test created by the Chiron company to measure the viral load of HIV in a sample of blood. A phosphorescent chemical that is known to bind to HIV RNA is added to the suspect DNA. The more brightly the test sample glows, the greater amount of HIV present in the sample, and this test is used to directly measure the amount of virus in a given sample. It is accurate enough to identify as few as twenty-five virus particles in a given sample, although in the early stages of HIV infection this test may give a false negative due to the initial low amount of virus in the blood. Since it costs significantly more than the standard ELISA antibody test and does not usually detect the virus in the early stages of infection, the bDNA test is usually recommended for those already diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in order to aid in treatment possibilities.

This health-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e

v • d • e Medical test: Serology, reference range: blood tests Clinical biochemistry Metabolic panel BMP: electrolytes (Na+/K+, Cl-/HCO3-) · renal function, BUN-to-creatinine ratio (BUN/Creatinine) · Glucose · Ca CMP: BMP + protein tests (Human serum albumin, Serum total protein) · liver function tests (ALP, ALT, AST, Bilirubin) derived values: Plasma osmolality · Serum osmolal gap Acid-base homeostasis Arterial blood gas · Base excess · Anion gap · CO2 content Iron tests Transferrin saturation = Serum iron / Total iron-binding capacity Ferritin · Transferrin · Transferrin receptor Blood sugar Glucose test · Glucose tolerance test · Glycemia · Noninvasive glucose · C-peptide · Fructosamine · Random glucose test · Glycosylated hemoglobin Endocrine ACTH stimulation test · Thyroid function tests Cardiac marker Troponin test · CPK-MB test · Glycogen phosphorylase isoenzyme BB Other Beutler test · Blood lipids · Tumor marker Hematology/CBC Clotting vWF: Ristocetin induced platelet agglutination clotting factors: Prothrombin time · Partial thromboplastin time · Thrombin time other/general coagulation: Bleeding time · animal enzyme (Reptilase time, Ecarin clotting time, Dilute Russell's viper venom time) · Thromboelastography fibrinolysis: Euglobulin lysis time · D-dimer Red blood cell indices Hematocrit · Hemoglobin · RBC count ratios: Mean corpuscular hemoglobin · Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration · Mean corpuscular volume Fetal hemoglobin: Apt-Downey test · Kleihauer-Betke test · Red blood cell distribution width Reticulocyte index · Haptoglobin Other Blood film · Blood viscosity · Absolute neutrophil count Immunology Infections viral infection: HIV (HIV test, BDNA test) · Epstein-Barr virus (Monospot test) bacterial infection: syphilis (VDRL, Rapid plasma reagin, Wassermann test, FTA-ABS) · rickettsia (Weil-Felix test) · helicobacter (HelicoCARE direct) · streptococcus (Antistreptolysin O titre) protozoan infection: toxoplasmosis (Sabin-Feldman dye test) Inflammation C-reactive protein · Erythrocyte sedimentation rate · MELISA · RAST test see also reference ranges for blood tests