Performance of HIV-1 DNA or HIV-1 RNA tests for early diagnosis of perinatal HIV-1 infection during anti-retroviral prophylaxis.

Objective: To compare performance of testing for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 DNA and HIV-1 RNA for diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in infants receiving preventive antiretroviral therapy.

Study Design: This substudy of the French multicenter prospective cohort of neonates born to HIV-infected mothers, included 1567 infants tested for HIV with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a single laboratory, receiving post-natal prophylaxis, not breastfed, and having simultaneous HIV-1 DNA and RNA results before 45 days. The performance of PCR was assessed in reference to the 6-month HIV-1 RNA result.

LTR real-time PCR for HIV-1 DNA quantitation in blood cells for early diagnosis in infants born to seropositive mothers treated in HAART area (ANRS CO 01).

HIV-1 diagnosis in babies born to seropositive mothers is one of the challenges of HIV epidemics in children. A simple, rapid protocol was developed for quantifying HIV-1 DNA in whole blood samples and was used in the ANRS French pediatric cohort in conditions of prevention of mother-to-child transmission. A quantitative HIV-1 DNA protocol (LTR real-time PCR) requiring small blood volumes was developed.