SPECIFIC DETECTION OF ANTIBODIES TO HUMAN T-CELL LEUKEMIA VIRUSES

摘要

Disclosed is a method and test kit for detecting in a biological sample an antibody to a virion of a human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) or to a cell infected with such a virion generally involving contacting the biological sample with an HTLV-II-encoded antigen and detecting formation of the antigen-antibody complex by an immunoassay. Also disclosed is a related method and test kit for detecting an HTLV-I virion or an HTLV-I-infected cell generally involving contacting the biological sample with the HTLV-I specific antigen, RP-B1, and detecting formation of the antigen-antibody complex by an immunoassay. The HTLV-II-encoded RP-IIB and RP-B2 peptides and purified nucleic acid encoding these peptides are also disclosed.