title: Performances of fourth generation HIV antigen/antibody assays on filter paper for detection of early HIV infections.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Point-of-care testing and diagnosis of HIV acute infections play important roles in preventing transmission, but HIV rapid diagnosis tests have poor capacity to detect early infections. Filter paper can be used for capillary blood collection and HIV testing using 4th generation immunoassays.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Antigen/antibody combined immunoassays were evaluated for their capacity to identify early HIV infections using filter paper in comparison with rapid test.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty nine serum samples collected from HIV seroconverters were spotted onto filter paper and tested by the Roche Elecsys(®) HIV Combi PT test and the DiaSorin Liaison XL Murex HIV Ab/Ag assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fourth generation immunoassays identified 34 out of 39 HIV early infections using dried serum spot, whereas the Determine™ HIV-1/2 rapid test detected 24 out of 39 HIV positive serum (87.2% vs 61.5% respectively, p = 0.009). p24 antigen was detected by the Liaison XL in 19 dried serum samples (48.7%). In the group characterized by a negative western blot, 7 out of 8 (87.5%) and 6 out of 8 (75.0%) samples were found positive for HIV using the Elecsys and the Liaison XL, respectively. None of these eight samples classified in this group of early acute infections were found positive by the rapid test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fourth generation Ag/Ab immunoassays performed on dried serum spot had good performance for HIV testing during the early phases of HIV infection. This method may be useful to detect HIV early infections in hard-to-reach populations and individuals living in remote areas before rapid tests become positive.
authors.affiliation: Université Montpellier 1, INSERM U 1058, 34394 Montpellier, France; Laboratoire de Virologie, Unité VIH et Maladies Associées, Centre Muraz, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Electronic address: kaniadramane@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Dramane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kania
authors.affiliation: Université Montpellier 1, INSERM U 1058, 34394 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Tam Nguyen
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Truong
authors.affiliation: Université Montpellier 1, INSERM U 1058, 34394 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montoya
authors.affiliation: Université Montpellier 1, INSERM U 1058, 34394 Montpellier, France; CHU Montpellier, Département d'Information Médicale, 34295 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagot
authors.affiliation: Université Montpellier 1, INSERM U 1058, 34394 Montpellier, France; CHU Montpellier, Département de Bactériologie-Virologie, 34295 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van de Perre
authors.affiliation: Université Montpellier 1, INSERM U 1058, 34394 Montpellier, France; CHU Montpellier, Département de Bactériologie-Virologie, 34295 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tuaillon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000276:immunology; D015488:HIV Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007118:Immunoassay / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems / Q000592:standards; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D015488:HIV Antigens; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
keywords: 4th generation immunoassay; Acute infection; Dried blood spot; HIV-1; Point-of-care; p24 antigen