[Postmortem detection of antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus]

The authors have demonstrated the possibility of detecting antibodies to HIV in cadaveric blood by enzyme immunoassay, agglutination tests, dot- and immune blotting tests with Russian and imported commercial test systems. The qualitative and quantitative results of anti-HIV antibody indication, as well as of HBsAg indication in the postmortem blood sera completely coincided with the findings of the life-time tests in seronegative and HIV-infected subjects, whatever the subject's age. These results evidence the possibility of postmortem serologic diagnosis of HIV infection and AIDS in cases with lethal outcomes, if the condition was not diagnosed in life time.