Serology has been a fundamental tool to prevent post-transfusional infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and for epidemiological surveys, the first step to attempt control of the pandemia. Enzyme immunoassay is in widespread use. Nevertheless, simpler methods are needed in many countries, where laboratory facilities and trained personnel are limited, and HIV prevalence is high. The evaluation of a simple and noninstrumented HIV antibody test is presented here. The test employs synthetic antigens of HIV-1 and HIV-2 attached to the teeth of a polystyrene comb, which fit into the wells of standard microtiter plates where samples are diluted. Captured antibodies are developed with colloidal gold-labeled Protein A. Three seroconversion panels plus 662 samples were tested, including HIV-1 and HIV-2-infected individuals, normal blood donors, and a noninfected baby born to a seroreactive mother. When compared with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot, the dipstick showed 100% sensitivity and 98.7% specificity. The simplicity of result evaluations and excellent reagent stability make the dipstick suitable for small blood banks and for epidemiological surveys.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.