Sensitivities of radioimmunoprecipitation assay and PCR for detection of human T-lymphotropic type II infection.
Five hundred forty-eight uncoagulated blood specimens from intravenous drug users infected with human T-lymphotropic virus type II (HTLV-II) were used to evaluate the sensitivities of the radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) and PCR for detecting HTLV-II-infected people. The sensitivities of both RIPA and PCR were found to be dependent on the HTLV-II antibody titer, as determined by the immunofluorescence assay. Neither of these recommended confirmatory methods was as sensitive for detecting weakly reactive HTLV-II specimens as the immunofluorescence assay, Western blotting (immunoblotting), or a modified licensed enzyme immunoassay. Use of RIPA and PCR to determine the reliabilities of other tests may sometimes give erroneous results.
Gallo
D
D
Viral and Rickettsial Disease Laboratory, State of California Department of Health Services, Berkeley 94704.
Penning
L M
LM
Diggs
J L
JL
Hanson
C V
CV
D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015531:Radioimmunoprecipitation Assay; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D004279:DNA, Viral; D015482:HTLV-II Antibodies