Improvement of Gelatin Particle Agglutination Test for Detection of Anti‐HTLV‐I Antibody

Partial modifications of antigen components were made to improve the gelatin particle agglutination (PA) test for the detection of antibodies against human T cell leukemia virus type‐I. Envelope glycoproteins prepared by lentil lectin affinity chromatography were further added to the purified viral antigens to be coated on the gelatin particles. Comparative studies with a conventional PA test kit (Serodia ATLA) and indirect immunofluorescence assay showed that the specificity and sensitivity of the new PA test were increased and that abnormal agglutination such as the prozone phenomenon was abolished by this improvement.