[The use of the polymerase chain reaction in modelling HIV infection in animals]

The data on observations, lasting over the period of 6 months, on cotton rats given large doses of highly replicating strain HIV-1zmb by retrobulbar and intraperitoneal injections are presented. The study revealed that in all animals subjected to intraperitoneal infection lymphoid tissue contained integrated areas of protovirus DNA of HIV-1 three months later and cerebral tissue, five months later. Six months after retrobulbar infection the specimens of lymphoid tissue contained protovirus DNA in 100% of cases and the specimens of cerebral tissue, in 80% of cases. Clinical and morphological investigations established the presence of the inflammatory process, though no signs of HIV replication in the body of animals were detected. Polymerase chain reaction is proposed as criterion for the evaluation of HIV infection in animals.