[Studies of AIDS in Lithuania].

The seroepidemiological survey of 400,000 persons aged 20-40 years and belonging to different AIDS risk groups, as well as blood donors, for the presence of antibodies to HIV has been carried out on the territory of Lithuania. This investigation has been made with the use of the assay systems "Antigen", "Peptoscreen" and "Vector" manufactured in the USSR, as well as commercial assay systems from foreign manufacturers, such as Du Pont de Nemours Inc., Organon N.

[The factors that affect the results of the serological diagnosis of HIV infection and the screening for anti-HIV].

The laboratory diagnosis of HIV infection and screening for anti-HIV have determined the factors that influence the results of studies performed by ELISA and Western immunoblot. The factors include sensitivity and specificity of the test systems used, storage conditions of and transportation conditions for serum, errors of procedures for reactions, etc. Correlation is between the inactivation of the sera studied and the initial antibody titers during their storage at elevated temperatures.