title: Challenges in virological diagnosis of HIV -1 transmission from sexual abuse--HIV-1 genetic links are mandatory.
abstract: The purpose of this article is to set forth possible strategies and techniques of analysis to diagnose or identify the source of HIV transmission in victims of sexual abuse. Diagnosis of HIV-1 transmission from sexual abuse is complicated. Timely blood samples are important. The right to confidentiality of the HIV diagnosis may prevent sampling from the offender. Hideous rapes occur during war, which victimize many women. Women delivering a child, seeking an abortion, or having a miscarriage may include victims of sexual abuse. HIV-infected children, where vertical transmission has been excluded, are important for investigation. Men who have sex with men may abuse young men. HIV-infected teenagers with signs of early infection should also be considered. Hundreds of single HIV-1 sequences can be created from one or more blood samples from the case and the alleged abuser. The more HIV-1 genes and sequences that are included, the better the outcomes of the phylogenetic relation. Evidence in support of transmission may be obtained from phylogenetic tree analysis and may also free someone from suspicion.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SE, Sweden. Sven.Grutzmeier@ki.se
authors: Anneka
authors: A
authors: Ehrnst
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001800:Blood Specimen Collection; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D030541:Databases, Genetic; D005260:Female; D053803:Forensic Genetics / Q000379:methods*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D010802:Phylogeny; D011902:Rape