Demonstration of antibodies to the surface (anti-p41) and core proteins (anti-p24) of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in individuals positive for anti-HIV.

Diagnosis of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) relies on the demonstration of antibody to this virus. Occasionally, the combined analysis of sera using ELISA and western blot reveals false-positive results. We have compared a newly developed test to detect antibodies to the core (anti-p24) and surface (anti-p41) proteins of HIV with the established tests described above. Anti-p24 and anti-p41 were negative in three individuals positive for anti-HIV by ELISA and immunoblot; they had a low risk to acquire HIV infection and were clinically and immunologically normal and suspected false positive previously. In 62 individuals at risk, anti-p41 was always positive while anti-p24 was negative in 24/62 individuals including all but one patient with AIDS. The data indicate that this new test may replace the western blot as a reliable, widely available, and standardized confirmatory assay. In addition, preliminary evidence needs to be confirmed that quantitative analysis of anti-p24 might be of prognostic value in the course of HIV infection.