Low prevalence of HIV in high-risk seronegative homosexual men evidenced by virus culture and polymerase chain reaction.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the presence of covert HIV-1 infection.


METHODS
High-risk seronegative homosexual men from the Pittsburgh portion of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study were examined for the presence of HIV-1 infection.


METHODS
Ten men (group 1) were examined prospectively for the presence of HIV-1 in their freshly-obtained peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Furthermore, cryopreserved PBMC from 26 men (group 2) at their first visit (1984-1985) were examined retrospectively for the presence of HIV-1.


METHODS
PBMC samples from groups 1 and 2 were examined for HIV-1 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using gag, env and strong-stop (long terminal repeat) specific primers. In addition, fresh PBMC samples from group 1 were examined for HIV-1 by virus culture.


RESULTS
None of the 10 PBMC samples from group 1 were positive for virus culture and PCR. Only one of the 26 men from group 2 was positive for gag and strong-stop DNA sequences. This PCR-positive, seronegative subject was found to be negative for HIV-1 by PCR at follow-up visits up to 48 months later. None of 15 seronegative, low-risk homosexual men and 12 seronegative heterosexual men were found to be PCR-positive for HIV-1. However, six HIV-1-seropositive men were positive by PCR for gag, env, and strong-stop HIV-1 DNA sequences.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest a low prevalence of covert HIV-1 infection in high-risk seronegative homosexual men in our geographic area.
Gupta
P
P
Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261.
Kingsley
L
L
Anderson
R
R
Ho
M
M
Enrico
A
A
Ding
M
M
Cottrill
M
M
Wolinsky
S
S
Rinaldo
C
C
D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
D015483:HIV Antibodies