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Related Experiment Videos

HIV-1 viral load determination based on reverse transcriptase activity recovered from human plasma.

Anders Malmsten1, Xing-Wu Shao, Kajsa Aperia

  • 1Department of Genetics and Pathology, Uppsala University, and Cavidi Tech AB, Uppsala Science Park, SE-751 83 Uppsala, Sweden. anders@cavidi.se

Journal of Medical Virology
|September 11, 2003
PubMed
Summary

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A new ExaVir Load test measures human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) viral load by quantifying reverse transcriptase (RT) in plasma. This cost-effective method correlates well with RNA viral load assays and is useful in resource-limited settings.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Biochemistry
  • Medical Diagnostics

Background:

  • Accurate quantification of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) viral load is crucial for patient management.
  • Current nucleic acid amplification-based methods can be complex and costly.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe and validate a novel HIV-1 viral load testing procedure, ExaVir Load, based on reverse transcriptase (RT) activity.
  • To evaluate the ExaVir Load assay as a cost-effective and technically less demanding alternative.

Main Methods:

  • Developed ExaVir Load assay using RT recovered from HIV-1 virions in plasma.
  • Samples treated to inactivate endogenous polymerases and remove inhibitors.
  • RT activity quantified via colorimetry or fluorimetry.
  • Correlated ExaVir Load results with a standard HIV-1 RNA viral load assay.

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Main Results:

  • ExaVir Load showed a strong correlation (r = 0.90, P < 0.0001) with HIV-1 RNA viral load assay.
  • The assay detected all 10 HIV-1 subtypes tested.
  • Low positive values observed in some healthy blood donor samples.

Conclusions:

  • ExaVir Load is a technically simple and cost-effective alternative for HIV-1 viral load testing.
  • The assay's insensitivity to HIV genetic drift makes it suitable for resource-limited settings with diverse HIV strains.