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Quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells by using a
P Gomes1, N C Taveira, J M Pereira
1Departamento de Microbiologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Travessa da Granja, Monte da Caparica, Portugal.
Abstract:
A new quantitative-competitive PCR-based human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) proviral DNA assay (QC-PCR) was developed and used to determine the proviral load in HIV-2-infected individuals. Proviral load varied considerably, with means of 1,831 copies per 10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells for asymptomatic subjects (n = 19) and 2,587 for AIDS patients (n = 2). HIV-2 viral and proviral loads also varied significantly over time in asymptomatic patients. These data suggest that a high level of virus replication occurs throughout the asymptomatic phase of HIV-2 infection.