Early infant diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in Luanda, Angola, using a new DNA PCR assay and dried blood spots.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Early diagnosis and treatment reduces HIV-1-related mortality, morbidity and size of viral reservoirs in infants infected perinatally. Commercial molecular tests enable the early diagnosis of infection in infants but the high cost and low sensitivity with dried blood spots (DBS) limit their use in sub-Saharan Africa.

Objectives

To develop and validate a sensitive and cheap qualitative proviral DNA PCR-based assay for early infant diagnosis (EID) in HIV-1-exposed infants using DBS samples.

Study design

Chelex-based method was used to extract DNA from DBS samples followed by a nested PCR assay using primers for the HIV-1 integrase gene. Limit of detection (LoD) was determined by Probit regression using limiting dilutions of newly produced recombinant plasmids

SUBMITTER: Martin F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5513534 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature