title: Detection of seminal antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus in vaginal secretions after sexual intercourse: possible means of preventing the risk of human immunodeficiency virus transmission in a rape victim.
abstract: Detection of semen anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibodies within the cervicovaginal secretions from a non-HIV-infected woman who has had a recent sexual intercourse with an HIV-infected man is theoretically possible since the seminal fluid from all HIV-infected men contains a high titer of IgG antibodies to HIV. We report the case of an HIV-seronegative African woman whose cervico-vaginal secretions contained IgG antibodies to HIV, including antibodies to HIV-env-encoded glycoproteins. This woman had also detectable prostatic specific antigens and acid phosphatase in her cervico-vaginal secretions, establishing the persistence of semen. In order to confirm whether anti-HIV antibodies in seminal fluid could be detected in vitro when mixed with cervico-vaginal secretions, 10(-1) to 10(-6) 10-fold dilutions of seminal fluid from HIV-1-seropositive donors were realized with a pool of HIV-negative cervico-vaginal secretions as diluent. Six commercial enzyme immunoassays or rapid tests were compared for semen anti-HIV detection in the secretions. At a 10(-1) dilution of the mixture, all assays were markedly positive for all tested semens and the greatest dilutions of seminal fluid showing positivity ranged from 10(-3) to 10(-5). The IgG immunocapture assay appeared to be the most sensitive test. The rapid tests permitted the detection of semen IgG antibodies to HIV at dilutions ranging from 10(-1) to 10(-3) suggesting their potential value in emergency situations.
authors.affiliation: Unité d'Immunologie Microbienne, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bélec
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matta
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Payan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Tévi-Bénissan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meillet
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pillot
mesh_terms: D003075:Coitus; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015686:Gene Products, env / Q000276:immunology; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000635:transmission; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011902:Rape; D012661:Semen / Q000276:immunology*; D014621:Vagina / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015686:Gene Products, env; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G