title: HIV global surveillance: foundation for retroviral discovery and assay development.
abstract: The high level of HIV genetic diversity has important implications for screening, diagnostic testing and patient monitoring. Continued diversification and global redistribution of HIV groups, subtypes and recombinants make it imperative that serological and molecular assays be designed and evaluated to ensure reliable performance on all HIV infections. Recognizing the importance of this issue, we initiated a comprehensive program to monitor global diversification of HIV, search for newly emerging variants, assemble large-volume panels of genetically and geographically diverse strains, and develop strategies to determine the impact of HIV diversity on assays used for detecting and monitoring HIV infection. Efforts to identify and characterize rare and emerging HIV strains have lead to the identification of HIV-1 group O, group N, and dual infections of groups M and O. A panel of plasma specimens was established that includes specimens collected from 12 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America; the panel comprises infections due to HIV-1 group M subtypes A, B, C, D, F, and G, as well as CRF01, CRF02, and unique recombinant forms, group N, and group O. Serological and molecular characterization of this unique panel has provided vital sequence data to support assay development and an invaluable source of well-defined specimens to evaluate and compare assay performance. The ability to address the challenge posed by ongoing evolution of HIV and the emergence of new variants requires continued surveillance of global HIV strain diversity, a sound scientific foundation for assay development, and suitable panels to evaluate and validate assay performance.
authors.affiliation: Abbott Diagnostics, AIDS Research and Retrovirus Discovery, Abbott Park, Illinois 60064-6015, USA.
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Brennan
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bodelle
authors.forename: Ruthie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Coffey
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Holzmayer
authors.forename: Ka-Cheung
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.forename: Priscilla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yamaguchi
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vallari
authors.forename: Sushil G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Devare
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schochetman
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hackett
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa; D001208:Asia; D001681:Biological Assay; D005060:Europe; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D017720:Molecular Epidemiology; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000821:virology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013020:South America
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic