title: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA polymerase chain reaction reasonably excludes infection in exposed infants.
abstract: A nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA) assay that detects HIV RNA may be helpful in excluding perinatal HIV infection. We reviewed the records of 190 infants born to HIV-infected mothers. The sensitivity and specificity of the NASBA assay were 100% when measured at two time periods in the first 9 months of life. The HIV RNA NASBA assay should be considered a valid diagnostic test in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Inectious Diseases, St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, USA.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luján-Zilbermann
authors.forename: Wally
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bitar
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Flynn
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*; D021161:Self-Sustained Sequence Replication / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral