[Assessment of an ELISA for the detection of antibodies against HIV-1 protein p24]. / Evaluación de un ELISA para la detección de anticuerpos contra la proteína p24 del VIH-1.

DAVIH AC p24 kit for detecting anti p24 antibodies of HIV-1, worked out by the National Laboratory of Reference of AIDS (Labor-1, Cuba) is assessed and results are compared to those of the Western Blot technique (DAVIH-Blot, Labor-1, Cuba). 191 samples from HIV positive patients at various stages of the disease were analyzed. 96% sensitivity; 100% specificity and 96.3% coincidence were found in both techniques. The anti p-24 ELISA-DAVIH system is a good alternative for the follow-up of HIV positive patients.

[Filter paper sampling for the detection of anti-hepatitis A IgM antibodies]. / Toma de muestra en papel de filtro para la detección de anticuerpos IgM antivirus de la hepatitis A.

The usefulness of the whole sample taking in filter paper for the detection of anti-HAV IgM is described. 168 serum and filter paper samples were simultaneously compared. No alterations were observed in the specificity of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the catchment of IgM in the 52 samples of the control group or in the other 116 from patients with clinical suspicion of acute viral hepatitis. A sensitivity, specificity and coincidence of 100% was obtained on comparing the filter paper with the dilution 1:500 with the serum. The correlation established between the values of optical density of the positive results to anti-HAV IgM, the filter paper at dilution 1:500 and the serum was of 0.895. On applying this type of sample taking in a group of hospitalized patients, 100% of coindicence with clinical suspicion was attained. Besides, it was proved its usefulness for the diagnosis of a viral hepatitis outbreak. According to our results, it is recommended the introduction of this type of sample taking in the diagnosis of hepatitis A.

[The immunoassay of IgM antibodies in samples clinically suspected of measles]. / Inmunovaloración de anticuerpos IgM en muestras sospechosas de sarampión clínicamente.

60 matched sera clinically suspicious of measles that were received at the Diagnostic Laboratory of the "Pedro Kourí" Tropical Medicine Institute between January and May, 1996, coming from the seroepidemiological surveillance of the MPR vaccine were studied. The detection of measles and rubella hemagglutinant antibodies, as well as of IgM, was carried out with the Clark Laboratories INC. Measles IgM ELISA diagnostic kit. The positive cases were confirmed by the IgM-indirect immunofluorescence and neutralization. 3 positive cases to measles and rubella, which were negative to measles IgM, were obtained by hemagglutination inhibition. Antibodies against Epstein Barr, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus were also determined by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) due to the capacity of these viruses to induces polyclonal responses. 6 positive cases, which were negative by IIF, were detected by means of the above mentioned diagnostic kit.

[Evaluation of a Dot ELISA for the detection of a Rotavirus antigen]. / Evaluación de un Dot ELISA para la detección de antígeno de Rotavirus.

An evaluation of a Dot ELISA made by the Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology for detecting Rotavirus antigen, was carried out. 100 feces samples were analyzed by this technique and the results were compared with those obtained with polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, technique traditionally used in the Rotavirus diagnosis. It was obtained a high coincidence, specificity and sensitivity among them.

[Normalization and application of an ELISA ultramicro for the detection of herpes simplex virus antibodies]. / Normalización y aplicación de un ultramicro ELISA para la detección de anticuerpos al virus herpes simple.

An ELISA ultramicro was normalized for detecting herpes simplex virus antibodies. A study was made on 145 samples from the Pedro Kourí Tropical Medicine Institute and the Blood Bank, both by ELISA ultramicro and immunofluorescence and ELISA, and 98% and 99% of coincidence was reached, respectively. It indicates good correspondence between these techniques.

[Serologic diagnosis of HIV (1988-1989)]. / Diagnóstico serológico del VIH (1988-1989).

Determination of antibodies to HIV virus by the ELISA technique was performed in 27,652 serum samples from January 1988 to November 1989. Samples which were positive twice underwent the Western Blot technique. A 0.41% of positiveness to the virus was found in 1988 and a 0.34% in 1989. Confirmation of positive cases by Western Blot was statistically significant in 1989.