Article

HIV-1 RNA testing of pooled dried blood spots is feasible to diagnose acute HIV infection in resource limited settings

Published in: Southern African Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume 33 , issue 2 , 2018 , pages: 50–53

DOI: 10.1080/23120053.2017.1393247

Author(s): Wentzel Dowling Division of Medical Virology, South Africa , Kirsten Veldsman Division of Medical Virology, South Africa , Mary Grace Katusiime Division of Medical Virology, South Africa , Jean Maritz Division of Medical Virology, South Africa , Peter Bock Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, South Africa , Sue-Ann Meehan Desmond Tutu TB Centre, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, South Africa , Marije Van Schalkwyk Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, South Africa , Mark F Cotton Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, South Africa , Wolfgang Preiser Division of Medical Virology, South Africa , Gert U Van Zyl Division of Medical Virology, South Africa

Keywords: dried blood spot testing , HIV , HIV-1 RNA , South Africa

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Abstract

Objectives: Rapid human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody tests, routinely used for diagnosis in adults and older children in resource-limited settings (RLS), do not detect early HIV infections prior to seroconversion or when antibody levels are still low. Nucleic acid amplification to detect HIV-1 RNA is the most sensitive method for acute HIV infection diagnosis, but is costly. We therefore investigated HIV- 1 RNA testing of pooled dried blood spots (DBS) to diagnose acute HIV infection.

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