INCREASED DETECTION OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS ANTIGENEMIA AFTER DISSOCIATION OF IMMUNE-COMPLEXES AT LOW PH

This study compared the number of patients with detectable human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigenemia after immune complex (IC) dissociation by established methods using either 0.5 N HCl or 1.5 M glycine buffer. Without IC dissociation, HIV antigen was detected in 43% of patients. After dissociation, the HCl method detected only an additional 7% of patients (P = 0.09), while the glycine method detected an additional 34% (P < 0.001). However, care must be taken in setting the threshold of the standards, and confirmatory neutralization assays should be performed to ensure specificity of HIV antigen enzyme immunoassay after IC dissociation.