       Document 0435
 DOCN  M9590435
 TI    Use of saliva as an alternative to serum for HIV screening in Africa.
 DT    9509
 AU    Luo N; Kasolo F; Ngwenya BK; du Pont HL; Zumla A; Department of
       Pathology and Microbiology, University Teaching; Hospital, Lusaka,
       Zambia.
 SO    S Afr Med J. 1995 Mar;85(3):156-7. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95296801
 AB    Saliva has been recommended as a safe and effective alternative to serum
       for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for HIV antibodies in
       surveillance programmes in developing countries. We evaluated the use of
       saliva specimens for detection of HIV antibodies using three different
       commercially available ELISAs. Saliva specimens from 107 patients
       selected at random from HIV high-risk (38), medium-risk (27) and
       low-risk (42) areas of the hospital were screened with the Wellcozyme
       HIV1 + 2 GACELISA VK61 (recommended for use with saliva), Wellcozyme
       HIV1 + 2 VK54/55 and Wellcozyme HIV-1 recombinant VK56/57. Of the 107
       patients, 50 were positive and 57 negative for antibodies to HIV on
       confirmatory Western blot testing. For detection of antibodies to HIV in
       saliva, the Wellcozyme HIV1 + 2 GACELISA VK61 had a sensitivity and a
       specificity of 98%, the Wellcozyme HIV-1 recombinant VK56/57 a
       sensitivity and specificity of 96%, and the Wellcozyme HIV1 + 2 VK54/55
       a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 95%. For detection of
       antibodies to HIV in serum, the Wellcozyme HIV-1 recombinant VK56/57 had
       a sensitivity and a specificity of 100%, the Wellcozyme HIV1 + 2
       GACELISA VK61 a sensitivity and a specificity of 98%, and the Wellcozyme
       HIV1 + 2 VK54/55 a sensitivity and a specificity of 96%. This study
       illustrates that saliva can be used as an alternative to serum for
       screening for anti-HIV antibodies in African patients.
 DE    Comparative Study  Developing Countries  Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent
       Assay  Human  HIV/*ISOLATION & PURIF  HIV Antibodies/*ANALYSIS/BLOOD
       HIV Infections/*DIAGNOSIS  Mass Screening/*METHODS  Saliva/*CHEMISTRY
       Zambia  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
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