A comparison of serological tests for the detection of HIV-antibodies. The clinical and serological course of one AIDS patient with seroconversion.
240 serum samples originating from various AIDS risk groups were tested for HIV-antibodies comparing an immunofluorescence test with the Western Blot and ELISA methods. In 95% of cases the results of the Western Blot and the immunofluorescence test were in accordance. In 12 samples the immunofluorescence test yielded positive results whereas there was no reaction in the Western Blot. Four of the sera were confirmed by the RIPA and yielded results which were in conformity with the immunofluorescence findings. A noteworthy case is a patient under observation since 1975 who had repeatedly shown negative Western Blot results but positive immunofluorescence responses and who had developed already marked clinical manifestations of AIDS. These findings indicate that the immunofluorescence test, employed as a confirmation method, is comparable to the Western Blot in its specificity (95.6%) but superior as far as sensitivity is concerned. Simplicity of performance and duration of test are the same for the immunofluorescence test and ELISA.
Marth
E
E
Institute of Hygiene of the University of Graz, Austria.
Stünzner
D
D
Hengster
P
P
Sixl
W D
WD
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000328:Adult; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007163:Immunosorbent Techniques; D008297:Male
D000914:Antibodies, Viral