title: Impact of extensive HIV-1 variability on molecular diagnosis in the Congo basin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown a high HIV-1 genetic variability in the Republic of Congo. This can greatly influence the performance of molecular assays for HIV-1 diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To define a reliable test for detection of HIV-1 DNA in this area.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared a commercial nested PCR (C-PCR) assay and an in house nested PCR (H-PCR) assay for the detection of HIV-1 DNA in the first 30 seropositive pregnant women enrolled into the ongoing "Kento-Mwana" project, for the prevention of HIV mother-to-child transmission in the city of Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo, Africa. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of partial HIV-1 pol sequences were also performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  C-PCR detected HIV-1 DNA in only 15/30 samples from seropositive women (50.0%), as opposed to 29/30 (96.6%) by H-PCR (P<0.0001). Phylogenetic analysis and bootscanning showed that only 10 sequences could be assigned to known clades (seven pure subtypes and three circulating recombinant forms), whereas the other 20 sequences were unique recombinant forms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The great genetic variability of HIV-1 in this area strongly advises to for using molecular methods only after local validation to avoid false negative results.
authors.affiliation: Hygiene Unit, S. Martino Hospital, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Bianca
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bruzzone
authors.forename: Agostina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bisio
authors.forename: Franc A Mayinda
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Mboungou
authors.forename: Landry M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Miguel
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saladini
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zazzi
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Icardi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Maria
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Viscoli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003223:Congo; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000821:virology; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D055815:Young Adult; D054302:pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D054302:pol Gene Products, Human Immunodeficiency Virus