Evaluation of EIA kits for the detection of HIV antibodies

We compared four commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) kits for the detection of HIV antibodies using immunoblot analysis as a confirmatory test. The kits gave satisfactory results as far as sensitivity and specificity are concerned as required for the use in the laboratories of blood banks. For the sera of patients on haemodialysis, haemophiliacs, patients "under observation" for AIDS and homosexuals the results obtained by Behring and Organon kits were less satisfactory, as the number of false positive results was much higher than with kits produced by Genetic and Wellcome. The frequency of false negative results was small in the tests using Organon and Genetic kits, while using Behring and Wellcome kits no false negative results were found.