title: Surveillance for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 group O infections in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Reports that the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) group O variants are not reliably detected by some commercial diagnostic tests have raised concerns about the sensitivity of existing screening tests, especially with regard to blood safety. Although it is unlikely that these divergent strains are prevalent in North America, systematic, continuous surveillance is needed to monitor the potential spread of HIV variants into that region.
  
  
  METHODS
  Stored serum samples (n = 1072) from both high- and low-risk population groups at several sites in the United States and Puerto Rico were tested by peptide enzyme immunoassays specific for the prototypic HIV-1 group O strains, MVP5180 and ANT70.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the 1072 samples examined had peptide reactivity that was consistent with HIV-1 group O infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While no evidence of specific HIV-1 group O (MVP5180 or ANT70) infection was found in this study, the sensitivity of current tests has not been fully evaluated against the wide range of genetic variation of HIV. Therefore, it is important to continue active surveillance for HIV-1 and HIV type 2 strains, to characterize any divergent strains, and to judiciously modify tests to correct for any deficiencies in sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Division of HIV/AIDS, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Pau
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Spruill
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schable
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lackritz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rayfield
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Dondero
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Busch
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: McCutchan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schochetman
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology