Undiagnosed acute HIV infection identified through RNA testing of pooled serum samples obtained during a dengue outbreak in São Paulo, Brazil.
Improving HIV diagnostics and treatment is necessary to end the AIDS epidemic. Pooled plasma can be used to identify patients with acute HIV disease, even before serological tests. During dengue outbreaks, patients having symptoms common to other acute viral diseases might seek medical care.
We evaluated HIV RNA in pooled seronegative dengue samples.
After excluding individuals with a known HIV diagnosis, an HIV-1 prevalence of 0.73% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23-1.76; 4/546 samples] was found.
Promoting strategies to diagnose these individuals and provide them with medical treatment might be instrumental for controlling the HIV epidemic.
Programa de Controle das DST/AIDS, Prefeitura Municipal de Santo André, Santo André, São Paulo, Brasil.
Elaine Monteiro
EM
Matsuda
Laboratório Regional, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Santo André, São Paulo, Brasil.
Daniela Rodrigues
DR
Colpas
Centro de Virologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
Norberto Camilo
NC
Campos
Centro de Virologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
Luana Portes Ozorio
LP
Coelho
Laboratório Regional, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Santo André, São Paulo, Brasil.
Andreia Moreira Dos Santos
AM
Carmo
Centro de Virologia, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
Luís Fernando de Macedo
LF
Brígido
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003715:Dengue / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*
D012367:RNA, Viral