title: Comparison of HIV-1 RNA level estimated with plasma and DBS samples: a pilot study from India (South).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The use of dried blood spots (DBS) for HIV-1 viral load determination could greatly enhance the management of HIV infected individuals in resource-limited countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the HIV-1 viral load values obtained between parallel collected plasma and DBS.
  
  
  METHODS
  DBS and plasma samples were collected from 62 HIV-1 infected individuals and were used for determination of HIV-1 RNA concentrations using the Abbot real-time HIV-1 PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean of the log difference of viral load values between plasma and DBS was -0.41 log. DBS viral load values significantly correlated with plasma viral load (r = 0.9818, P < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that DBS samples can be used as an alternative to plasma for the estimation of HIV-1 viral load if samples are appropriately stored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Virology, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu-632004, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sachithanandham
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jerobin
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parasuram
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kannangai
mesh_terms: D003890:Desiccation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral