Hepatitis-associated antigen screening by automated complement fixation: comparison with manual methods.

Abstract

A recently developed, automated, complement fixation method for the detection of hepatitis-associated antigen has been compared with manual methods including complement fixation, immunodiffusion, and counterelectrophoresis. Tests of blood samples from 3,000 blood donors gave 19 positive results with die automated complement fixation test and 15 positive results with the manual microtiter complement fixation method. Of 16 samples which were positive by the complement fixation method, only five were positive by immunodiffusion testing; none of the samples which were negative by the complement fixation method was positive by either the immunodiffusion or the counterelectrophoresis method. The automated complement fixation technic is a practical method for screening blood donors for hepatitis-associated antigen and is as sensitive as the manual complement fixation technic.