Diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in infants by use of dried blood spots and an ultrasensitive p24 antigen assay

J Clin Microbiol. 2009 Feb;47(2):459-62. doi: 10.1128/JCM.01181-08. Epub 2008 Dec 10.

Abstract

We tested 617 dried blood spots (DBS) from human immunodeficiency virus-exposed infants from five countries using an ultrasensitive p24 antigen assay (Up24). The sensitivity was 94.4% (67/71) and the specificity was 100% (431/431) for infants with DBS specimens <or=20 months old; DBS older than 30 months demonstrated only 72.2% sensitivity (39/54) (P < 0.001) but displayed 100% specificity (61/61).

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Blood / virology*
  • Desiccation*
  • HIV Core Protein p24 / blood*
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis*
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Specimen Handling / methods*

Substances

  • HIV Core Protein p24