Low specificity of the Murex fourth-generation HIV enzyme immunoassay in Tanzanian adolescents.
;
John Changalucha;
Alessandra Anemona;
Tobias Chirwa;
David A Ross;
Deborah Watson-Jones ;
John V Parry;
Richard Hayes ;
David C Mabey ;
(2007)
Low specificity of the Murex fourth-generation HIV enzyme immunoassay in Tanzanian adolescents.
Tropical medicine & international health, 12 (11).
pp. 1323-1326.
ISSN 1360-2276
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01933.x
OBJECTIVE: To determine the specificity of the Abbott Murex HIV antigen/antibody combination enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the diagnosis of HIV infection in Tanzania. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 7333 Tanzanian adolescents and young adults was carried out. Sera testing positive by the Murex assay were further evaluated using a battery of other EIA which detect either antibody to HIV-1 or p24 antigen, and by PCR using pol primers. RESULTS: Of the 674 sera testing positive by the Murex assay, only 53 (7.9%) were confirmed. The specificity of the Murex assay was 91.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Serological tests for HIV may perform differently in different populations. New diagnostic tests should not be introduced into populations in which they have not been evaluated.