Evaluation of a new confirmatory assay for antibodies against lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV)/human T-lymphotropic virus type III (HTLV III).

We have evaluated a newly developed competitive enzyme immunoassay for the specific detection of antibodies against LAV/HTLV III envelope and core proteins. Comparative studies of sera from high-risk donors showed complete concordance between the results of the confirmatory enzyme immunoassay and immunoblot or indirect immunofluorescence techniques. Studies of sera from blood donors with a repeatedly reactive screening test for anti-LAV/HTLV III demonstrated two specimens which were positive by the confirmatory enzyme immunoassay and negative or indeterminable by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence.