title: Quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by using a quantitative-competitive PCR assay.
abstract: A new quantitative-competitive PCR-based human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) proviral DNA assay (QC-PCR) was developed and used to determine the proviral load in HIV-2-infected individuals. Proviral load varied considerably, with means of 1,831 copies per 10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells for asymptomatic subjects (n = 19) and 2,587 for AIDS patients (n = 2). HIV-2 viral and proviral loads also varied significantly over time in asymptomatic patients. These data suggest that a high level of virus replication occurs throughout the asymptomatic phase of HIV-2 infection.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Microbiologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Travessa da Granja, Monte da Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: N C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Taveira
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.forename: M O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lourenço
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010957:Plasmids / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011533:Proviruses / Q000502:physiology*; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral