AEGiS-11IAC: Consistent sequential detection of RNA, antigen and antibody in early HIV infection: assessment of the window period.

11th International AIDS Conference


Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

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Consistent sequential detection of RNA, antigen and antibody in early HIV infection: assessment of the window period.

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:219 (abstract no. Tu.A.153)
Busch M, Schumacher RT, Stramer S, Garrett PE; Boston Biomedica, Inc., Bridgewater, MA, USA. Fax: 508-580-0250.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the evolution of significant markers of early HIV infection and assess their potential for reducing the HIV window period.

METHODS: Between 1987 and 1995, serial bleeds collected from individuals recently infected with HIV (seroconversion, SC) were tested with methods designed to detect HIV antibody (@-HIV), antigen (HIV Ag), and RNA. Stability of frozen SC samples allowed the comparison over 8 years of detection with early @-HIV methods, so-called 3rd generation @-HIV methods, HIV Ag tests, and recently developed target amplification test methods for HIV RNA, and the concomitant reduction in time from infection with HIV to first marker detection (window period, WP).

RESULTS: In 1987, the WP for @-HIV was estimated at 42 days, based on tests of transfusion-infected individuals, surveillance programs of high-risk cohorts, and retrospectively recognized seroconverters from plasmapheresis programs. In 1995, a study of 31 SCs with currently available @-HIV tests (7 methods), HIV Ag tests (5 methods), and newly available HIV RNA tests (3 methods) indicated that the WP for the more sensitive @-HIV tests was reduced to 18.5 days, that screening for HIV Ag could produce a further reduction to 8 days, and that screening with HIV RNA tests could reduce the WP further still, to 5.3 days.

CONCLUSIONS: 1) Seroconversions consistently demonstrate the sequential appearance in blood of HIV RNA, HIV Ag, and @-HIV. 2) Detection of HIV RNA and/or HIV Ag can be used to confirm early infection. 3) RNA and/or HIV Ag tests are potentially useful for earlier detection of HIV infection (e.g., blood screening). 4) SCs provide a valuable benchmark for following the improvement in sensitivity of tests for early HIV infection.

Keywords: AEGIS, HIV Infections, HIV Antibodies, HIV Core Protein p24, Antigens, HIV Antigens, RNA, RNA, Viral, Sensitivity and Specificity, Mass Screening, ICA11KWDaegis,hivinfections,hivantibodies,hivcoreproteinp24,antigens,hivantigens,rna,rna,viral,sensitivityandspecificity,massscreening,ica11

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TuA153

Copyright © 1996 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.