Detection of antibodies to mycobacterium tuberculosis by solid phase radioimmunoassay.

The sandwich solid phase radioimmunoassay procedure has been adapted to the serological diagnosis of tuberculosis by the use of disposable plastic haemagglutination trays in which the wells were sensitized with soluble mycobacterial antigen and the subsequent uptake of globulin from test sera detected with radioiodinated antiglobulin. The influence of time and temperature of the incubation stages, pH, washing times, drying and the efficiency of various non-specific blocking agents have been studied. In an initial survey carried out on 319 sera the results obtained showed a good correlation with the presence or absence of established tuberculous infection.