Polymerase chain reaction compared with concurrent viral cultures for rapid identification of human immunodeficiency virus infection among high-risk infants and children.
To determine the usefulness of DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction for the early identification of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in infants and children, we compared the polymerase chain reaction and concurrent viral cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 25 high-risk subjects aged 5 weeks to 8 years. In two separate primer pairs, HIV-1 proviral DNA gag sequences were successfully identified in cell lysates from seven patients, including two infants with previously indeterminate HIV-1 status on the basis of serologic and culture results. In the remaining 18 patients the polymerase chain reaction was negative for HIV-1. Simultaneously grown HIV-1 cultures concurred with polymerase chain reaction results for all patients. In an 18-month-old infant who had had a single HIV-1 positive culture at 1 month of age with four subsequent negative cultures, both polymerase chain reaction and HIV-1 culture were negative. Our data demonstrate the clinical applicability of polymerase chain reaction on crude cell lysates for the rapid, early, definitive detection of HIV-1 infection in high-risk infants and children.
Edwards
J R
JR
Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco 94143.
Ulrich
P P
PP
Weintrub
P S
PS
Cowan
M J
MJ
Levy
J A
JA
Wara
D W
DW
Vyas
G N
GN
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D005814:Genes, Viral; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy
D004279:DNA, Viral; D004259:DNA-Directed DNA Polymerase