Evaluation of a new fourth-generation microwell enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of HIV-1 subtype B and E antibodies.

The recent fourth-generation enzyme-immunoassays have been used to increase the sensitivity for detecting HIV-1 antibodies and reduce the window period of HIV infection. The HIV antigens utilized in those assays were prepared from HIV-1 clade B which is different from HIV-1 subtypes circulating in Thailand. We evaluated 323 HIV-1 seropositives either B or E subtype to determine whether they were detected with the new combined anti-HIV and the p24 Ag assay. Under evaluation we found that this enzyme immunoassay manufactured by Organon Teknika showed the high sensitivity and specificity with a greater delta (delta) value with B than E subtypes samples (+15.29 vs +5.73).