title: HIV-1 RNA load in needles/syringes from shooting galleries in Miami: a preliminary laboratory report.
abstract: We quantified HIV-1 RNA load in rinses from needles/syringes (N/S) obtained at shooting galleries in Miami and also analyzed the rinses for antibodies for viral proteins. In rinses from 36 N/S that contained visible blood, 14 (39%) had detectable amounts of HIV-1 RNA. Numbers of copies of HIV-1 RNA ranged from the detection limit (400 copies/ml) to 268,000 copies/ml. We also detected antibodies to HIV-1 polypeptides in 34/36 (94%) of rinses from visibly contaminated N/S using Western blots specific for the HIV-1 proteins. No antibodies were detected in laboratory rinses from six visibly clean needles. The presence of HIV-1 RNA in N/S is an important indication of the risk created by N/S sharing as well as by shared paraphernalia and wash waters by injecting drug users.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Drug Research Center, University of Miami and University of Miami School of Medicine, FL 33136, USA. pshapsha@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Shapshak
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Fujimura
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Segal
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Rivers
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Graham
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Metsch
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weatherby
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Chitwood
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: McCoy
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D005431:Florida / Q000453:epidemiology; D015750:Genes, gag; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D016485:Needle Sharing; D009339:Needles; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013594:Syringes; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies; D012367:RNA, Viral