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From: werner@aecom.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.motss,net.med
Subject: Re: HLA-DR antibodies cause positive HTLV-3 test results.
Message-ID: <1753@aecom.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 11-Jun-85 02:26:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: aecom.1753
Posted: Tue Jun 11 02:26:55 1985
Date-Received: Wed, 12-Jun-85 08:13:28 EDT
References: <1752@aecom.UUCP>
Distribution: na
Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY
Lines: 25


	I realized that in my desire to simplify, I may have mislead, so here
is a quick clarification.
	The Test checks for antibodies against HTLV3, also known as
AIDS Related Virus, or anti-HTLV3 antibodies.
	The article described the testing of anti-HLA antibodies (which are
normally used in tissue typing for transplants) and the discovery that one,
anti-HLA-DR4, reacted with anti-AIDS antibodies.
	I left out the 'anti's last time and here's where I made the boo-boo.
People who have the HLA-DR4 gene will not test false positive for HTLV3.
For them to have anti-DR4 antibodies would mean that they would be attacking
their own tissues.
	The only way someone would have those antibodies was if they had 
recieved a transfusion or a transplant or a skin graft from someone who
had HLA-DR4, or if there's still yet another cross-reacting antigen that
hasn't been described yet.
	I feel much better now.  Sorry for the inconvenience and confusion.

				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		"The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"
-- 
				Craig Werner
				!philabs!aecom!werner
		"The world is just a straight man for you sometimes"