USE OF PCR FOR DIAGNOSING HIV-I INFECTION

很难获得新生儿HIV-1感染的流行率研究 由于常用的抗体检测方法不适用于检测 宝贝们。婴儿携带母体抗体的时间长达12-18个月 出生，所以所有血清阳性母亲所生的婴儿也将进行检测 阳性。然而，这些婴儿中有40%-50%实际上并没有感染。在这 Grant，我们建议使用聚合酶链式反应(PCR)检测 HIV-1血清阳性母亲所生婴儿的淋巴细胞 HIV-1基因组的存在。这是一种极其敏感的效果测试。 对于病毒，能够在更少的时间内检测到甚至10个病毒基因组 超过1毫升的血液。外周血淋巴细胞将从 大约80名HIV-1血清阳性母亲所生的婴儿。样本收集地点： 出生和每隔3个月随访一次将进行聚合酶链式反应和免疫印迹试验。 印迹分析。聚合酶链反应的结果将与随后的 母源抗体丧失和婴儿抗体血清转换。这些 结果将决定聚合酶链式反应数据是否可以用作可靠的指标 实际感染的可能性和随后血清转换的预测指标。这些 研究将提供艾滋病毒-1发病率的流行病学数据。 血清阳性母亲所生婴儿的感染情况，并为 在这些婴儿中进行艾滋病预测测试。

Prevalence studies for HIV-1 infection in newborns are difficult to obtain since the commonly used antibody assays are not appropriate for testing babies. Babies carry the maternal antibody for up to 12-18 months after birth, so that all babies born to seropositive mothers will also test positive. Yet 40-50% of these babies are not actually infected. In this grant, we propose to use Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) assays to examine the lymphocytes of babies born to HIV-1 seropositive mothers for the presence of the HIV-1 genome. This is an extremely sensitive effect test for the virus, and is capable of detecting even 10 viral genomes in less than 1 ml of blood. Peripheral blood lymphocytes will be collected from about 80 babies born to HIV-1 seropositive mothers. Samples collected at birth and at 3-month follow-up intervals will be tested by PCR and Western Blot assays. The results of the PCR will be correlated with the subsequent loss of maternal antibody and seroconversion to baby antibody. These results will determine whether PCR data can be used as a reliable indicator of actual infection and a predictor of subsequent seroconversion. These studies will provide epidemiological data for the incidence of HIV-1 infection in babies born to seropositive mothers, and provide a basis for predictive tests for AIDS in these babies.