Important note: Information in this article was accurate in September 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
HIV/AIDS Testing: Modified AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR 1.5 detects HIV RNA at previously undetectable levels
AIDSWEEKLY Plus; Monday, September 22, 2003 AIDS Weekly Editors and Staff
NewsRx -- A modified version of the AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR version 1.5 can detect HIV RNA at previously undetectable levels.In a recent study, scientists in the United States "compared the sensitivity and specificity of versions 1.0 and 1.5 and a modified version 1.5 of the AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR ultrasensitive RNA assay (Roche, Indianapolis, IN) by using a virus stock dilution series and plasma samples from HIV-1-infected and uninfected subjects.""The modified assay was linear and consistently positive down to 12 copies per milliliter vs. 25 copies per milliliter for the other two assays," reported E.M. Piwowar-Manning and coauthors at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institute."Versions 1.0, 1.5, and modified 1.5, respectively, detected 9 (23%) of 39, 11 (28%) of 40, and 43 (61%) of 71 replicates of a 4-copy-number and 11 (28%) of 40, 17 (46%) of 3 7, and 88 (90%) of 98 replicates of a 10-copy-number standard," test results showed. "Of 44 patient samples with undetectable levels using version 1.0, 32 (73%) had detectable levels on the modified assay, and 5 (25%) of 20 had detectable levels on version 1.5. None of the assays detected HIV-1 RNA in HIV-1 antibody-negative samples.""The modified version 1.5 of the RNA assay is more sensitive for detecting HIV-1 RNA in significantly more patients than are versions 1.0 and 1.5," the researchers concluded.Piwowar-Manning and colleagues published their study in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology (A modified ultrasensitive assay to detect quantified HIV-1 RNA of fewer than 50 copies per milliliter. Am J Clin Pathol. 2003 Aug;120(2):268-70.For more information, contact J.B. Jackson, Johns Hopkins Medical Institute, Department of Pathology, 600 N. Wolfe St., Carnegie Bldg., Room 415, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.Publisher contact information for the American Journal of Clinical Pathology is: American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2100 W. Harrison St., Chicago, IL 60612, USA.The information in this article comes under the major subject areas of AIDS & HIV and Medical Devices.This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports.Reference
Piwowar-Manning EM, Henderson TA, Brisbin L, et al., "A modified ultrasensitive assay to detect quantified HIV-1 RNA of fewer than 50 copies per milliliter", Am J Clin Pathol. 2003 Aug;120(2):268-70.
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Important note: Information in this article was accurate in September 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
