Evaluation of a new third generation anti-HIV-1/anti-HIV-2 assay with increased sensitivity for HIV-1 group O.
Although the HIV-1 group O virus found in two persons of Cameroonian origin has been described in 1990 (De Leys et al., 1990), sera from group O infected individuals became available only recently. Several studies showed that some of the anti-HIV-1/HIV-2 screening tests failed to detect all of these samples (Loussert-Ajaka et al., 1994; Simon et al., 1994; Schable et al., 1994; Gürtler et al., 1995). In the current version of an anti-HIV-1/anti-HIV-2 screening assay, namely the Vironostika HIV Uni-Form II, an HIV-O specific peptide was introduced in order to improve HIV-1 group O reactivity. The peptide was derived from the immunodominant region of HIV-1 group O gp41 strain ANT70. All 30 anti-HIV-1 group O sera were detected by the so-called plus O assay, while 29 samples of this panel were positive the current assay. The sensitivity of the plus O assay for anti-HIV-1 and anti-HIV-2 positive samples is identical to that of the reference test without HIV-1 group O peptide. The clinical specificity of the HIV Uni-Form II plus O assay is improved to > or = 99.92% by an adjustment of the coat concentration of HIV-1 p24 (to avoid false positive p24 only reactions) without affecting sensitivity of the assay. The specific reaction of an HIV-1 group O specific rabbit serum for quality control purposes is presented.
van Binsbergen
J
J
Organon Teknika, Boxtel, The Netherlands.
de Rijk
D
D
Peels
H
H
Dries
C
C
Scherders
J
J
Koolen
M
M
Zekeng
L
L
Gürtler
L G
LG
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011817:Rabbits; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D015483:HIV Antibodies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D019302:HIV Envelope Protein gp160; D015700:HIV Envelope Protein gp41; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes