Polymerase chain reaction in the early diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in high risk subjects.
We investigated the presence of the HIV-1 infection using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test in seronegative sexual partners of HIV-infected subjects and in children born to seropositive mothers. By using PCR assay, no HIV-1 DNA was detected in 32 female partners of HIV positive patients including three pregnant women who were also studied during pregnancy and after delivery. HIV-1 DNA was found in 12 out of 38 children born to seropositive mothers; five of them also had detectable serum HIV-1 p24 Ag levels. On the whole, our data stress the importance of using a very sensitive technique, i.e. PCR, for the early diagnosis of HIV-1 infection.
Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, University of Modena, Italy.
V
V
Borghi
G
G
Lami
G
G
Frigieri
M T
MT
Cecchi
G
G
Zoboli
M
M
Tavio
M
M
Pecorari
N
N
Mongiardo
A
A
Cossarizza
B
B
De Rienzo
D015492:AIDS Serodiagnosis; D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D012309:Risk-Taking
D004279:DNA, Viral; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24