ACTUALITY OF THE SEROLOGICAL SCREENING FO R THE HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS IN ADULTS

Enzyme immunoassay is the basic method for the detection of antibodies to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). In spite of the apparent f acility of the serological screening, the difficulties are real at all stages of the analysis. Specimen treatment needs defined rules to avo id contamination. The products authorised are listed by the <<French D rug Agency>>. The specificity cannot be less than 99.5%, and the sensi tivity must be of 100%. Each biologist have to acquire its own experie nce of the tests utilised. To the very recent seroconversions, he must define decision criteria for the pursuit or not of the investigations . False positives have been observed for patients with autoimmune path ology, but was usually related to a disparity between kit lots.