PARTICLE AGGLUTINATION-TEST SERODIA HIV-1 2 AS A NOVEL ANTI-HIV-1/2 SCREENING-TEST - COMPARATIVE-STUDY ON 3311 SERUM SAMPLES/

Enzyme immunoassays are most widely used screening tests: for antibodi es to human immnunodeficiency viruses (HIV), Nevertheless, the need of simpler, noninstrumented tests is evident in many parts of the world, where laboratory facilities and trained personnel are limited, and HI V incidence is high. A recently developed variant of gelatin-particle agglutination tests, Serodia HIV-1/2 (Fujirebio Inc., Tokyo, Japan), i s one of such simple and noninstrumented tests, To evaluate its utilit y, 3311 serum samples (281 anti-HIV-1 positive, 8 anti-HIV-2 positive and 3022 anti-HIV-1/2 negative) obtained from 2632 individuals from Sl ovenia, other parts of former Yugoslavia and Senegal were investigated . No false-negative results and only one false-positive result were ob tained during the procedures, giving overall sensitivity and specifici ty of the particle agglutination test of 100 % and 99.97 %, respective ly, We have concluded that Serodia HIV-1/2 test is highly specific and sensitive for detection of anti-HIV-1/2 antibodies, suitable for smal l blood banks and for epidemiological surveys.