Predictive value of the human immunodeficiency virus 1 antigen test in children born to infected mothers.

Our objective was to examine the utility of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) antigen test as an early predictor of HIV-1 infection among children born to infected mothers and to collect information about its performance as a diagnostic test. The Abbott HIVAG-1 Enzyme Immunoassay was used to analyze serial serum samples from patients enrolled in a longitudinal cohort study of children born to mothers infected with HIV-1. There were 85 subjects who were followed from birth whose HIV-1 infection status could be definitely determined as of March, 1990. Of these 22 (26%) were infected with HIV-1 and 63 (74%) were uninfected. Overall the sensitivity of the test was 77% (95% confidence interval (CI), 55 to 92%) and the specificity was 97% (95% CI, 89 to 99%). The positive predictive value of a single positive test was 89% (95% CI, 67 to 99%) and of two or more positive tests was 100% (95% CI, 50 to 100%). The sensitivity of the test varied greatly with age. For 36 children from whom sera were collected during the first month of life the specificity of the antigen test was 100% but the sensitivity was only 20%. Overall in the first 6 months of life the sensitivity was less than 50%. The Abbott HIV-1 antigen test is useful as an early predictor of HIV-1 infection in children whose mothers are infected.