Virologic testing in the management of perinatal HIV exposure

Abstract

Over the last several years, virologic assays for the detection and measurement of HIV-1 RNA have become important in the diagnosis and management of perinatal HIV infection. Since AIDS Clinical Trials Group 076, a number of prospective and retrospective analyses have investigated the role of viral load in perinatal transmission. Although no universal virologic threshold for perinatal HIV transmission has been established, much has been learned about the timing of perinatal transmission and the relationship between maternal viral load and disease progression in HIV-infected neonates. Virologic assays have become accepted as standards of care in monitoring viral load during pregnancy, diagnosing neonatal infection, and establishing prognosis and response to therapy in infected infants.