Comparison of HIV-1 RNA level estimated with plasma and DBS samples: A pilot study from India (South).

Purpose: The use of dried blood spots (DBS) for HIV-1 viral load determination could greatly enhance the management of HIV infected individuals in resource-limited countries. Objective: To compare the HIV-1 viral load values obtained between parallel collected plasma and DBS. Materials and Methods: DBS and plasma samples were collected from 62 HIV-1 infected individuals and were used for determination of HIV-1 RNA concentrations using the Abbot real-time HIV-1 PCR. Result: Mean of the log difference of viral load values between plasma and DBS was -0.41 log. DBS viral load values significantly correlated with plasma viral load (r = 0.9818, P < 0.0001). Conclusion: These results suggest that DBS samples can be used as an alternative to plasma for the estimation of HIV-1 viral load if samples are appropriately stored.

Development and evaluation of reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to establish a reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method for rapid detection of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Materials and Methods: The HIV-1 integrase gene region was selected because it was a conserved part of the HIV-1 genome. Six primers specific to eight regions of the HIV-1 integrase gene were designed. A total of 171 samples (18 HIV-1 confirmed positive samples and 153 serum specimens were collected in this study) were tested by RT-LAMP and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). After amplification in an isothermal water bath for 45 min, samples containing HIV-1 generated the expected ladder-like products while other viruses generated no product. Results: The sensitivity and specificity of the RT-LAMP assay were evaluated by comparison with RT-PCR. The assay was significantly more sensitive than normal gel-based RT-PCR. Conclusion: Because it is specific and simple, the RT-LAMP assay can be widely applied in clinical laboratories for rapid detection of HIV-1.