METHOD FOR DETERMINING ANTIBODIES AGAINST RETROVIRUS AND TEST EQUIPMENT, RETROVIRUS CBL-1 AND RETROVIRUS CBL-1-ANTIGENS FOR IT

摘要

Samples e.g. transfusion blood, are assayed for antibodies to retrovirus, e.g. AIDS virus, using an insolubilised antigen comprising retrovirus antigens bound to globulin, the globulin itself being bound to an inert solid support; and an immunoglobulin which contains specific antibody to the retrovirus antigens and which is labelled with a non radio active revealing label, and the liquid phase is then separated from the solid phase and the quantity of revealing label associated with either the liquid or the solid phase determined. The use of enzyme labelled antibody in competition with test sera for binding on the insolubilised antigen permits better identification of antibody containing specimens. The retroviruses may be a HTLV-I, II or III or a new retrovirus isolate CBL-1 etiologically related to AIDS.