Comparison of four commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent and one agglutination assays for the detection of HIV antibodies in sera from Zimbabwe.

Sera from 871 AIDS and AIDS related complex patients were used to evaluate four ELISA and one agglutination assays. Commercial tests compared were Abbot, Wellcoyzyme, Biotest, Du Pont and Serodia. Wellcozyme and Serodia had the highest sensitivity (96.8 pc and 98.8 pc respectively) but the lowest specificity (53.3 pc and 46.5 pc respectively). Du Pont was the least sensitive test (89.1pc). Biotest and Abbot were comparable--Biotest had a higher sensitivity (93.2pc as compared with 90.6pc) but Abbot had a higher specificity (94.1 pc as compared with 89.1 pc). Thus, Abbott and Biotest both had a satisfactory high sensitivity and specificity and could thereby be recommended for use in screening of HIV-1 antibodies in south east Africa.