title: IgA antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus in serum, saliva and urine for early diagnosis of immunodeficiency virus infection in Ugandan infants.
abstract: The value of HIV-1 IgA antibodies for early diagnosis of HIV infection in infants in serum, saliva and urine was investigated at Mulago Hospital, Kampala. Sensitivity and specificity in serum of HIV-infected infants at different ages were: 0 to 1 months, 88 and 95%; 1 to 3 months, 88 and 97%; 4 to 6 months, 80 and 96%. They decreased between 67 and 77% and 80 to 91%, respectively, in older age groups. Sensitivity for saliva was lower (53 to 79%) and urine only 37 to 62%, although specificity was reasonably high (>85%). The high proportion of infants with raised HIV IgA in the first months of life (88%) may represent prenatal infection. Sensitivity of serum and especially salivary and urinary HIV IgA is too low to be of practical value for early diagnosis of HIV infection in infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool, UK.
authors.forename: Jorge E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Morgado de Moura Machedo
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kayita
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bakaki
authors.forename: J Brian S
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Coulter
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ndugwa
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tindyebwa
authors.forename: C Anthony
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000032:analysis*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012463:Saliva / Q000821:virology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D016482:Urinalysis; D014556:Urine / Q000821:virology
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G