Affordable diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus infection in infants by p24 antigen detection

Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2004 Feb;23(2):173-6. doi: 10.1097/01.inf.0000109332.83246.1a.

Abstract

The expense of PCR testing limits diagnosis of HIV infection in infancy in low resource settings. The ultrasensitive p24 antigen assay has been proposed as an accurate substitute; however, its ability to detect different HIV viral subtypes remains to be determined. A sensitivity of 98.1% and specificity of 98.7% was obtained testing 203 samples from 24 HIV-infected and 66 uninfected infants born to HIV subtype C-infected women.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Viral / analysis
  • Clinical Laboratory Techniques / economics*
  • Cohort Studies
  • Cost Savings
  • Developing Countries
  • Female
  • HIV Core Protein p24 / analysis*
  • HIV Core Protein p24 / economics
  • HIV Infections / diagnosis*
  • HIV Infections / economics*
  • HIV-1 / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
  • Male
  • Pregnancy
  • Sampling Studies
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • South Africa

Substances

  • Antigens, Viral
  • HIV Core Protein p24