Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 20, 2026

Amplifying and Quantifying HIV-1 RNA in HIV Infected Individuals with Viral Loads Below the Limit of Detection by Standard Clinical Assays
13:58

Amplifying and Quantifying HIV-1 RNA in HIV Infected Individuals with Viral Loads Below the Limit of Detection by Standard Clinical Assays

Published on: September 26, 2011

Early changes in quasispecies repertoire in HIV-infected infants: correlation with disease progression

S M Essajee1, H Pollack, G Rochford

  • 1Department of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, New York University Medical Center, New York City, New York 10016, USA. shaffiq.essajee@med.nyu.edu

AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses
|January 12, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Early human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) diversification in infants is linked to slower disease progression. Multiple HIV-1 variants may initiate infection, impacting clinical outcomes in children.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can lead to significant health challenges in infants.
  • Understanding HIV-1 quasispecies evolution is crucial for predicting disease progression in vertically infected children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolution of HIV-1 quasispecies in vertically infected infants during their first year of life.
  • To correlate viral evolution patterns with clinical outcomes and disease progression rates.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of HIV-1 quasispecies evolution using heteroduplex analysis.
  • Focus on the V3-V5 region of the HIV-1 env gene.
  • Monitoring of CD4(+) cell counts and disease progression in 10 vertically infected infants.

Main Results:

  • Infants with limited viral evolution experienced rapid disease progression and early CD4(+) cell loss.
  • Slow progressors demonstrated the evolution of new viral variants within 6 months.
  • One infant, PCR positive at birth, was infected with multiple HIV-1 variants.

Conclusions:

  • Early quasispecies diversification in HIV-infected children is associated with a favorable clinical outcome.
  • Multiple HIV-1 variants may initiate infection in vertically infected infants.
  • Viral evolution patterns provide insights into pediatric HIV-1 disease progression.

More Related Videos

A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses14:23

A Restriction Enzyme Based Cloning Method to Assess the In vitro Replication Capacity of HIV-1 Subtype C Gag-MJ4 Chimeric Viruses

Published on: August 31, 2014

Humanized NOD/SCID/IL2rγnull (hu-NSG) Mouse Model for HIV Replication and Latency Studies07:10

Humanized NOD/SCID/IL2rγnull (hu-NSG) Mouse Model for HIV Replication and Latency Studies

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Retrovirus Life Cycles01:10

Retrovirus Life Cycles

Retroviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome that undergoes a special form of replication. Once the retrovirus has entered the host cell, an enzyme called reverse transcriptase synthesizes double-stranded DNA from the retroviral RNA genome. This DNA copy of the genome is then integrated into the host’s genome inside the nucleus via an enzyme called integrase. Consequently, the retroviral genome is transcribed into RNA whenever the host’s genome is transcribed, allowing the retrovirus to...
Viral Mutations00:36

Viral Mutations

A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material for adaptive...
Development of Immunocompetence01:22

Development of Immunocompetence

The initiation of cell-mediated immunity can be observed as early as the third month of fetal growth, with active antibody-mediated immunity following approximately one month later.
The initial cells that migrate from the fetal thymus settle within the skin and epithelial tissues lining the mouth, digestive tract, and in females, the uterus and vagina. These cells, including skin-based dendritic cells, serve as antigen-presenting cells, playing a key role in T cell activation.
Subsequent T...
Immunodeficiency Diseases01:25

Immunodeficiency Diseases

Immunodeficiency disorders are conditions in which the immune system's ability to fight infectious disease and cancer is compromised or entirely absent. The immune system comprises a complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body from potentially harmful invaders. When this system is deficient or not functioning properly, it leaves the body susceptible to infections, diseases, or other complications.
There are three main causes of immunodeficiency disorders...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion01:26

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion

In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...