[Diagnostic value of the determination of HIV antigen in enzyme immunoassay]

Enzyme-immunoassays (EIA) for HIV antigen and antibodies were performed on 33,076 serum samples during an 11-month period. Prospective analysis involved samples from 21,496 blood donors, 11,086 samples sent in as coming from "high-risk" persons and 101 samples from AIDS patients, while retrospectively samples from 393 high-risk persons, including a group of homosexuals from New York, were tested. No HIV antigen was found among blood donors, although during the test period seroconversion of one blood donor had been noted. Among 297 persons infected with HIV, 82 sera were positive for HIV antigen, always in combination with HIV antibodies: there was no case positive for HIV antigen but negative for HIV antibodies. The results suggests that at present it is not necessary routinely to test blood donors for HIV antigen by EIA.