title: Diagnosis of dual human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 infections in a resource-limited setting.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The presence of dual HIV-1/HIV-2 infection in Ghana and the different drug requirements for the treatment of HIV-1 and HIV-2 presents difficulties for the treatment of dual infections with both viruses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of the dual sero-positive profile in treatment naive patients at a principal ART Clinic in Accra, Ghana and to investigate if rapid screening assays could be useful for diagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A principal antiretroviral treatment centre in Accra, Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred and twenty eight antiretroviral treatment naive patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 12 (3.7%) of patients seen were dual seropositive. There was a slight tendency of dual seropositive females being older than their HIV-1 counterparts (p = 0.088, CI = -10.833 to 0.753). Eight of the 12 of the dual seropositives were reactive for Genie II and were considered as possibly infected with both HIV-I and HIV-2. Seven (87.5%) of Genie II dual seropositives had strong intensities (> 1+) on both HIV-2 specific bands (sgp105 and gp36) on Innolia. CD4 counts were not significantly different in dual seropositives as compared to HIV-1 infected patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dual HIV-1/HIV-2 seropositives (and possibly infections) maybe common especially in older women. The Genie II will be useful as a supplemental rapid test for rapid and accurate differentiation of HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies at treatment centres.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Clinical Virology Laboratory, University of Ghana Medical School, P.O. Box 4236, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: K W C
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Sagoe
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Agyei
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lartey
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Adiku
authors.forename: J A A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Mingle
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult