WHOLE SALIVA DRIED ON FILTER-PAPER FOR DIAGNOSIS OF HIV-1 INFECTION BY DETECTION OF ANTIBODY IGG TO HIV-1 WITH ULTRASENSITIVE ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY USING RECOMBINANT REVERSE-TRANSCRIPTASE AS ANTIGEN

Whole saliva samples collected from HIV-1 seropositive subjects by sim ple spitting without using any devices were dried on filter paper stri ps, from which filter paper discs of 3-mm diameter were punched out. T he eluates of the discs were subjected to the immune complex transfer enzyme immunoassay for antibody IgG to HIV-1 using recombinant reverse transcriptase of HIV-1 as antigen and a two-site enzyme immunoassay f or whole IgG. The signals for antibody IgG to HIV-1 and the amounts of whole IgG obtained with one disc per assay tube were 126-290% of thos e obtained with 1 mu l of whole saliva samples, provided that filter p aper strips were treated with nonspecific rabbit serum prior to drying whole saliva samples and that filter paper discs were tested within a few days after drying whole saliva samples. From these results, diagn osis of HIV-1 infection was indicated to be possible with whole saliva samples dried on filter papers, since the diagnosis was previously sh own to be possible with 1 mu l of whole saliva samples. The test for H IV-1 infection with whole saliva samples dried on filter papers was su ggested to be useful for various purposes. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.