Low specificity of the Murex fourth-generation HIV enzyme immunoassay in Tanzanian adolescents

Dean B. Everett; Helen A. Weiss; John Changalucha; Alessandra Anemona; Tobias Chirwa; David A. Ross; Deborah Watson-Jones; John Parry; Richard Hayes; David C. Mabey

doi:10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01933.x

Low specificity of the Murex fourth-generation HIV enzyme immunoassay in Tanzanian adolescents

Dean B. Everett, Helen A. Weiss, John Changalucha, Alessandra Anemona, Tobias Chirwa, David A. Ross, Deborah Watson-Jones, John Parry, Richard Hayes, David C. Mabey^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

14 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To determine the specificity of the Abbott Murex HIV antigen/antibody combination enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the diagnosis of HIV infection in Tanzania. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 7333 Tanzanian adolescents and young adults was carried out. Sera testing positive by the Murex assay were further evaluated using a battery of other EIA which detect either antibody to HIV-1 or p24 antigen, and by PCR using pol primers. Results: Of the 674 sera testing positive by the Murex assay, only 53 (7.9%) were confirmed. The specificity of the Murex assay was 91.5%. Conclusions: Serological tests for HIV may perform differently in different populations. New diagnostic tests should not be introduced into populations in which they have not been evaluated.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1323-1326
Number of pages	4
Journal	Tropical Medicine and International Health
Volume	12
Issue number	11
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01933.x
Publication status	Published - Nov 2007

Keywords

Africa
False positives
HIV tests
Specificity

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1111/j.1365-3156.2007.01933.x

Cite this

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abstract = "Objective: To determine the specificity of the Abbott Murex HIV antigen/antibody combination enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the diagnosis of HIV infection in Tanzania. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 7333 Tanzanian adolescents and young adults was carried out. Sera testing positive by the Murex assay were further evaluated using a battery of other EIA which detect either antibody to HIV-1 or p24 antigen, and by PCR using pol primers. Results: Of the 674 sera testing positive by the Murex assay, only 53 (7.9%) were confirmed. The specificity of the Murex assay was 91.5%. Conclusions: Serological tests for HIV may perform differently in different populations. New diagnostic tests should not be introduced into populations in which they have not been evaluated.",

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AU - Weiss, Helen A.

AU - Changalucha, John

AU - Anemona, Alessandra

AU - Chirwa, Tobias

AU - Ross, David A.

AU - Watson-Jones, Deborah

AU - Parry, John

AU - Hayes, Richard

AU - Mabey, David C.

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AB - Objective: To determine the specificity of the Abbott Murex HIV antigen/antibody combination enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the diagnosis of HIV infection in Tanzania. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 7333 Tanzanian adolescents and young adults was carried out. Sera testing positive by the Murex assay were further evaluated using a battery of other EIA which detect either antibody to HIV-1 or p24 antigen, and by PCR using pol primers. Results: Of the 674 sera testing positive by the Murex assay, only 53 (7.9%) were confirmed. The specificity of the Murex assay was 91.5%. Conclusions: Serological tests for HIV may perform differently in different populations. New diagnostic tests should not be introduced into populations in which they have not been evaluated.

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Low specificity of the Murex fourth-generation HIV enzyme immunoassay in Tanzanian adolescents

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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