       Document 0797
 DOCN  M9460797
 TI    Stability of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies in postmortem
       samples.
 DT    9404
 AU    Karhunen PJ; Brummer-Korvenkontio H; Leinikki P; Nyberg M; Department of
       Public Health, University of Tampere, Finland.
 SO    J Forensic Sci. 1994 Jan;39(1):129-35. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94157425
 AB    The stability of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies was
       studied for samples of sera, vitreous fluid and bile obtained from eight
       HIV-positive autopsy cases. The autopsy delay was on average 5 days. The
       samples were stored at room temperature (20 degrees C) for 51 to 314
       days and tested repeatedly. In Western blotting on fresh postmortem
       samples, the antibodies detected most of the proteins of the virus.
       Antibodies against all major envelope, core and transmembrane proteins,
       although weakened, were also detected in stored sera. In stored vitreous
       fluid and bile the envelope protein gp 160, the transmembrane protein gp
       41 and in half of the cases also the major core protein p 24 could still
       be detected. The disappearance of p 24 was associated with AIDS, but was
       detected in all samples from patients with early infection. Of screening
       tests, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay applying synthetic peptide
       as an antigen detected antibodies from all serum samples, but was less
       applicable to vitreous fluid or bile. Another immunoassay, applying
       recombinant antigen, succeeded in vitreous fluid and bile but not in
       sera. The rapid visually read assay detected antibodies in most samples
       of fresh whole blood, bile and in most of the vitreous samples, but was
       less useful on stored specimens.
 DE    Autopsy  Bile/MICROBIOLOGY  Blotting, Western  Enzyme-Linked
       Immunosorbent Assay  Human  HIV Antibodies/*ANALYSIS  HIV
       Seropositivity/MICROBIOLOGY/*PATHOLOGY  Immunoassay/METHODS  *Postmortem
       Changes  Tissue Preservation  Vitreous Body/MICROBIOLOGY  JOURNAL
       ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

