title: Cross-reactivity on western blots in HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections.
abstract: To examine cross-reactivity of antibodies to heterologous antigens, on HIV-1 and HIV-2 Western blots, we tested sera from 1362 consecutive tuberculosis (TB) patients and 2127 consecutive blood donors. Specimens positive on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HIV-1 or HIV-2 were further characterized by synthetic peptide-based tests, and tested by HIV-1- and HIV-2-specific Western blots. Dual serologic reactivity on synthetic peptide tests was proportionately more frequent in HIV-positive TB patients than in blood donors, and HIV-2 reactivity less frequent. Positive HIV-1 Western blots were seen in 73-83% of specimens specifically characterized as positive for HIV-2 on synthetic peptide tests. Cross-reactivity to HIV-2 Western blots by HIV-1-positive specimens was significantly more frequent in TB patients (35%) than in asymptomatic donors (9%; P less than 0.001). Using recently recommended criteria for HIV-2 Western blot interpretation (presence of two env bands) reduced the overall proportion of HIV-1-positive specimens having a positive HIV-2 Western blot from 27.5 to 16.4%, with [corrected] minimal effect on sensitivity in the diagnosis of HIV-2 reactivity on specimens positive on synthetic peptide tests.
authors.affiliation: Projet RETRO-Cl, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, Africa.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: De Cock
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Porter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kouadio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maran
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Lafontaine
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Gershy-Damet
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Heyward
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: George
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies