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Laboratory Diagnosis of HIV Infection



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Diagnostic HIV Testing in Infants

Slide 14

October 2009

The last group of individuals that I wish to discuss testing approaches is infants, infants born to HIV-infected mothers. The US Working Group on Antiretroviral Therapy and Medical Management of HIV-Infected Children recommended that 2 positive HIV virologic tests on blood samples taken on 2 separate dates are necessary to make a diagnosis of HIV infection in such newborn infants. And the testing that can be used includes the qualitative HIV-1 proviral DNA by PCR, the quantitative HIV-1 RNA by PCR, or an HIV-1 RNA by transcription-mediated amplification.

The testing should be done at birth, preferably within 48 hours of birth, at 14 days, at 1 to 2 months, and finally at 3 to 6 months. So, if any 2 of these time-point testings yield a positive HIV-test results, then an HIV diagnosis can be made. Please note that the HIV-1 proviral DNA test and the HIV-1 RNA quantitative tests, both by PCR, are not FDA approved for such indication, but they are nevertheless recommended as a testing option by the US Working Group on Antiretroviral Therapy and Medical Management of HIV-Infected Children.

Diagnostic HIV Testing

 


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