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This test for HIV is reliable because the A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 24 - 2012 - Paper 1
Question 24
This test for HIV is reliable because the A. dye reacts with the patient's blood serum. B. enzyme has an active site for the HIV antigen. C. man-made antibody has th... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:This test for HIV is reliable because the A - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 24 - 2012 - Paper 1
Step 1
D. HIV antigen has a complementary shape specific to the HIV antibody.
Answer
The reliability of an HIV test is primarily based on the specificity of the interaction between antibodies and antigens. In this context, the most accurate option is D, which states that the HIV antigen has a complementary shape specific to the HIV antibody. This complementary shape ensures that the antibody can precisely bind to the antigen, making the test effective in detecting the presence of HIV antibodies in a patient's blood.
This lock-and-key model of binding is vital; it means that even minute amounts of the virus can be detected due to the strong affinity between the HIV antigen and the respective antibodies. Therefore, option D highlights the crucial biological mechanism that underpins the reliability of the HIV test.