[Persistent viruses in serological diagnosis of HIV infection]

Specific antibodies to persistent viruses (CMV, EBV, HBV) were detected by ELISA in groups of HIV-infected patients and persons showing indefinite results of the immunoblotting test for HIV-1 antigens, on the one hand, and in HIV-seronegative donors and patients with clinical manifestations of viral infection (CMVI) on the other. The findings indicate that the persons with indefinite immunoblotting test results show elevated blood CMV and HBV antigen levels than in the matched group of seronegative donors. This fact suggests that persistent viral infections might involve in the formation of an indefinite pattern when the sera were tested for HIV. The patients whose sera behaved in such a way represent a clinical risk group for HIV infection and call for further follow-up.