Comparative Assessment of Quantitative HIV Viraemia Assays

OBJECTIVE To compare two published methods for determining plasma viraemia in HIV-seropositive patients, with reference to a cellular viraemia assay. PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS Three patient groups were defined according to CD4 cell count: group I, less than 200 x 10(6)/l (23 patients); group II, 200-500 x 10(6)/l (18 patients); and group III, greater than 500 x 10(6)/l (13 patients). METHODS The two reported methodologies were applied to all fresh samples, simultaneously and on the same day. RESULTS The two techniques did not differ significantly in the detection of plasma viraemia: 82.3% of group I patients and 55% of group II patients were positive, while all group III patients were negative. Cellular viraemia was positive for 96% of the overall population. CONCLUSIONS These results, obtained in a network of seven French laboratories involved in clinical trials, confirm that both plasma viraemia and cellular viraemia are useful virological markers.