Design and evaluation of an in-house HIV-1 (group M and O), SIVmnd and SIVcpz antigen capture assay.

Abstract An enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV cpz /SIV mnd ) antigens was designed using immunoreagents from naturally infected individuals, and compared to the commercially available Vironostika HIV-1 Antigen Microelisa System (Organon Teknika). The in-house assay proved to be specific for HIV-1 isolates belonging to group M (A-H) and group O and for SIV cpz and SIV mnd isolates, but was less sensitive than the Vironostika HIV-1 Antigen Microelisa System, except for SIV mnd . For the strains belonging to HIV-2, SIV mac and SIV agm , the in-house assay could not detect antigen to an appreciable degree. This study shows that a considerably less expensive but sufficiently accurate HIV-1 antigen capture assay can be developed to monitor HIV-1 (group M and O), SIV cpz and SIV mnd antigen in the supernatants of virus cultures.