Rapid, easy and economical dot EIA for detection of antibodies to HIV-1 using recombinant env- and gag-proteins

A rapid and simple screening test for antibodies to HIV-1 was designed on the principle of dot-EIA. Recombinant HIV-1 env and gag polypeptides are fixed on nitrocellulose sheets. Peroxidase conjugated protein A is used for detection of bound antibodies. After addition of hydrogen peroxide and 2-bromo-1-naphtol antigen-antibody complexes are visualized as discrete blue coloured spots. The test is completed within 15 min. Out of 111 sera positive by commercial EIA and Western blot analysis 110 were recognized by dot-EIA (sensitivity: 99.1%). False positive results compared with commercial EIA were found in 2 of 423 healthy blood donors (specificity: 99.5%).