Comparison of false-positive reactions in direct-binding anti-HIV ELISA using cell lysate or recombinant antigens.
In a 2-year study of false-positive anti-HIV-1 tests in blood donors at Manchester and Lancaster Blood Banks, the reactions associated with a HIV-infected cell lysate antigen were compared with those using recombinant-antigen-based tests. In year 1 (cell lysate test) at Manchester BTS 0.21% of 119.178 donations were repeatedly reactive, compared with 0.53% of 119,004 donations in year 2 (recombinant antigen). Reactive sera were tested at Manchester PHL by three different immunoassays. Referred specimens were classified as anti-HIV positive (95-100% reactive in all the assays), equivocal or negative (negative results in all three immunoassays). Two donors were confirmed to be anti-HIV positive over the 2-year period. Most sera were negative by confirmatory immunoassays in years 1 and 2. In year 1, a study of 60 referred sera with sex- and age-matched controls showed high correlation between a reactive anti-HIV-1 screening test and indeterminate anti-HIV-1 patterns on Western blot showing reactions with HIV gag-coded proteins. In year 2, less than 10% of referred sera were reactive by Western blot, and there was no correlation between a reactive screening anti-HIV test, the strength of signal in the test or a reactive Western blot. Follow-up showed that donors whose sera were reactive in years 1 and 2 by the anti-HIV-1 screening test formed almost two different populations. Four donors with equivocal anti-HIV-1 confirmatory tests had anti-HIV 'envelope' reactions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Craske
J
J
Public Health Laboratory, Withington Hospital, Manchester, UK.
Turner
A
A
Abbott
R
R
Collier
M
M
Gunson
H H
HH
Lee
D
D
Martlew
V
V
Howell
P
P
Love
E
E
D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D011994:Recombinant Proteins