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. 1991 Oct;5(10):1201-7.
doi: 10.1097/00002030-199110000-00008.

Absence of HIV-1 DNA in high-risk seronegative individuals using high-input polymerase chain reaction

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Absence of HIV-1 DNA in high-risk seronegative individuals using high-input polymerase chain reaction

T H Lee et al. AIDS. 1991 Oct.

Abstract

Evidence of frequent HIV-1 infections in antibody-negative, high-risk individuals (so-called 'silent' infections) remains controversial. To evaluate whether these discrepant results may be the consequence of intermittent detection of rare infected cells (low viral load) preceding seroconversion, we developed a modification of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique which enabled analysis of 10-fold greater amounts of cellular DNA per reaction than standard PCR (2 x 10(6) rather than 0.2 x 10(6) input cells). This technique allowed consistent detection of HIV-1 provirus in two seropositive individuals who had repeatedly tested negative by standard-input PCR. However, results were negative when high-input PCR was applied to 51 specimens from 39 selected high-risk seronegative individuals. These results suggest that variations in viral load preceding or in the absence of seroconversion probably do not explain discrepant evidence regarding silent HIV-1 infection.

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