Abstract
HIV-1 p24 antigen was detected in 554 sera (509 from HIV-1 seropositive individuals and 45 sera from seronegative controls) using a conventional method with acid pretreatment of the sample in order to separate the p24 antigen/anti-p24 antibody immune complexes. In asymptomatic individuals there was a substantial increase in antigen detection (48.2 % vs 8.4 %). Similar results were also observed in ARC (59.1 % vs 12.2 %) and AIDS patients (85.7 % vs 37.1 %). It can be concluded that the acid treatment improves the sensitivity of conventional techniques to detect HIV-1 p24 antigen.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Paul D, Falk LA, Kessler HA, Chase RM, Blaauw B, Chudwin DS, Landay AL Correlation of serum HIV antigen and antibody with clinical status in HIV-infected patients. Journal of Medical Virology 1987, 22: 357–363.
Goudsmit J, Lange JMA, Teunissen MBM, Epstein LG, Danner SA, Van Den Berg H, Breederveld C, Smit L, Bakker M, De Wolf F, Coutinho RA, Van Den Noordaa J Pathogenesis of HIV and its implications for serodiagnosis and monitoring of antiviral therapy. Journal of Virological Methods 1987, 17: 19–34.
Goudsmit J, Lange JMA, Paul DA, Dawson GL Antigenemia and antibody titers to core and envelope antigens in AIDS, AIDS related complex, and subclinical human immunodeficiency virus infection. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1987, 155: 558–560.
Chaisson RE, Allain JP, Leuther M, Volberding PA Significant changes in HIV antigen level in the serum of patients treated with azydothymidine. New England Journal of Medicine 1986, 315: 1610–1611.
De Wolf F, Goudsmit J, De Gans J, Coutinho RA, Lange MA, Cload P, Schellekens PTA, Fiddian AP, Van Den Noordaa J Effect of zidovudine on serum human immunodeficiency virus antigen levels in symptom-free subjects. Lancet 1988, i: 373–376.
Nishanian P, Huskins KR, Stehn S, Detels R, Fahey JL A simple method for improved assay demonstrates that HIV p24 antigen is present as immune complexes in most sera from HIV-infected individuals. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1990, 162: 21–28.
Bollinger RC, Kline RL, Francis HL, Moss MW, Bartlett JG, Quinn TC Acid dissociation increases the sensitivity of p24 antigen detection for the evaluation of antiviral therapy and disease progression in asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons. Journal of Infectious Diseases 1992, 165: 913–916.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rodríguez-Iglesias, M.A., Alvarez, J.R., Vergara, A. et al. Improved detection of HIV p24 antigen in serum after acid pretreatment. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 11, 849–850 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01960890
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01960890