Monitoring the activity of antiviral therapy for HIV infection using a polymerase chain reaction method coupled with reverse transcription.
OBJECTIVE
To monitor the anti-HIV-1 activity of antiretroviral agents in patients with HIV-1 infection.


METHODS
Quantification of viral RNA copy in plasma or serum using a polymerase chain reaction method coupled with reverse transcription.


CONCLUSIONS
The HIV-1 RNA copy number represents the HIV-1 viremia status in patients with HIV-1 infection. This copy number is likely to be useful in monitoring the effectiveness of antiviral therapy and the method is likely to be built into every clinical trial of anti-HIV-1 therapy in the near future.
Kojima
E
E
Experimental Retrovirology Section, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.
Shirasaka
T
T
Anderson
B
B
Chokekijchai
S
S
Sei
S
S
Yarchoan
R
R
Mitsuya
H
H
D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016049:Didanosine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D014779:Virus Replication
D000998:Antiviral Agents; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016049:Didanosine