title: Serodiagnosis of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay compared to cellular immunologic parameters in African AIDS patients and controls.
abstract: The sensitivity and specificity of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), absolute numbers of T-helper cells, and T-helper: T-suppressor cell ratios were compared in asymptomatic controls and IgG Western blot-confirmed patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Kinshasa, Zaire, between August 1984 and May 1985. Two hundred sixteen (97.7%) of 221 IgG Western blot-positive AIDS patients and 4 of 97 (4%) controls were ELISA-positive, 3 of whom were Western blot-positive. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA was 97.7% and 99.0%, respectively, compared to Western blot results. Detection of the human immune deficiency virus using absolute number of T-helper cells (less than 400 cells/mm3) was as sensitive (98.2%), but less specific (90.7%). A T-helper: T-suppressor ratio of less than 0.9, had a sensitivity of 97.3%, and specificity of 94.8%. The ELISA test had the highest predictive value and greatest utility in an African clinical setting for detecting HIV infected patients where a wide range of other immunocompromising diseases are seen.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Colebunders
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ndongala
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mavunza-Mpaka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bila
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Curran
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piot
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015023:Democratic Republic of the Congo; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies