title: Detection of low levels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be critical for early diagnosis of pediatric HIV infection by use of dried blood spots.
abstract: We compared a DNA-based assay with a total nucleic acid-based assay for early detection of infant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The codetection of DNA and RNA did not result in an overall higher sensitivity compared to that of DNA alone. Discordant results were associated with low levels of HIV DNA, indicating that the sample amount may be critical.
authors.affiliation: Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, University of Southern California, 4546 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Walter
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Semrau
authors.forename: Don W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: Moses
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sinkala
authors.forename: Chipepo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kankasa
authors.forename: Donald M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Thea
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulterys
authors.forename: Chin-Yih
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Grace M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Aldrovandi
mesh_terms: D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D003890:Desiccation; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006678:HIV / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral