1. Detection of HIV-1 RNA in plasma and serum samples using the NASBA amplification system compared to RNA-PCR.
- Author
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Vandamme AM, Van Dooren S, Kok W, Goubau P, Fransen K, Kievits T, Schmit JC, De Clercq E, and Desmyter J
- Subjects
- Africa ethnology, Algorithms, Base Sequence, Cell Line, Cross Reactions, DNA Primers, Europe, Genes, gag, HIV Core Protein p24 blood, HIV-1 genetics, Humans, Molecular Sequence Data, Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques, Polymerase Chain Reaction methods, Reproducibility of Results, Sensitivity and Specificity, HIV Seropositivity diagnosis, HIV-1 isolation & purification, RNA, Viral blood
- Abstract
The presence of HIV-1 RNA in the plasma and serum of European and African patients was monitored using RNA-polymerase chain reaction (RNA-PCR) and the new isothermal NASBA nucleic acid amplification system encompassing a gel-based detection assay (ELGA). Identical RNA extraction procedures, provided by the NASBA amplification system, were used for both methods. The detection limit for HIV-1 RNA, measured on a 10-fold dilution series of spiked HIVIIIB in negative plasma, was about 0.05 CCID50 per test for both methods. Both NASBA and RNA-PCR were more sensitive than a p24 assay for the detection of circulating HIV-1 virus in blood: 17 of the 34 (50%) p24 antigen-tested seropositives were p24-positive while 32 (94%) were positive by NASBA and 30 (88%) by RNA-PCR. Among the 45 seropositives, 34 of which were tested for p24 antigen, 43 (96%) were positive by NASBA and 41 (91%) by RNA-PCR. Almost all seropositives had a detectable viral load in 100 microliters plasma. Lower viral loads were only encountered in some healthy seropositives with a higher CD4 count. There was no cross-reactivity with HIV-2 or HIV-I with both the RNA-PCR and NASBA. The extraction method used permitted the detection of HIV-1 RNA equally well in serum and in plasma with heparin or EDTA.
- Published
- 1995
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