title: Diagnosis of vertical human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection by whole blood culture.
abstract: The qualitative and quantitative performance of a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) whole blood culture method was assessed for use in the diagnosis of vertical HIV-1 infection. This method requires < 1 mL of whole blood and allows for the quantification of blood virus load. HIV-1 was isolated from 36 (95%) of 38 whole blood specimens from 27 HIV-1-infected children compared with 0 of 16 whole blood specimens from 16 uninfected children. HIV-1 titers were significantly higher in severely symptomatic children (2450 TCID/mL) than in less symptomatic children (179 TCID/mL). This simple quantitative culture assay may be useful for the early diagnosis of vertical HIV-1 infection, the assessment of blood virus load, and the evaluation of antiretroviral therapies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01605.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alimenti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luzuriaga
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D046508:Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D012016:Reference Values; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D015215:Zidovudine