title: Performance of serological assays for early detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 seroconversion.
abstract: Early detection of sexually transmitted human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection was investigated in newly infected persons to determine the sensitivities of currently available serologic techniques. Serial serum samples were obtained from 51 newly infected persons in a cohort of 1,153 homosexual or bisexual men participating in the Baltimore Center of the Multi-Center AIDS Cohort Study during the first 2.5 years of follow-up. Of 51 participants, 45 seroconverted between any two seminannual visits and 6 were found to have been infected just prior to study entry. Five enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), two immunoblots, and an HIV-1 P24 antigen capture assay were performed on a panel of all serial serum samples from these individuals. The sensitivity of ELISAs varied between 50 and 84% in seroconverters with less-developed antibody response. In this group of seroconverters, the most sensitive antibody assay was an immunoblot from Biotech (95%) and HIV-1 P24 was found infrequently (9.5%). The sensitivities of ELISAs and immunoblot were 100% in individuals with more-developed antibody patterns, and no HIV-1 P24 was detected among them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Farzadegan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Odaka
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Polk
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic