title: Quantification of proviral DNA load in human T-cell leukaemia virus type I infections.
abstract: A nested PCR was designed using primers from the pol and tax genes of human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I). The assay reliably detected a single copy of HTLV-I proviral genome in DNA from 1 x 10(5) Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Using serial dilutions of sample DNA, the assay was applied prospectively to study proviral load in patients with HTLV-associated disease and carriers. The median proviral load expressed as number of copies/100 PBMCs was found to be 14.0 copies in patients with HAM and 1.55 copies in initially asymptomatic carriers. The assay was used to test for low proviral load in subjects who may have HTLV-I infection, and to monitor response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Hepatitis and Retrovirus Laboratory, Central Public Health Laboratory, London, UK. jtosswil@phls.co.uk
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Tosswill
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Clewley
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D002460:Cell Line; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D016355:Genes, pX; D015751:Genes, pol; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral