Vernazza PL, Dollenmaier G, Gowland PL, Roth F, Eron JJ, Fiscus SA; Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections.
Program Abstr 5th Conf Retrovir Oppor Infect Conf Retrovir Oppor Infect 5th 1998 Chic Ill. 1998 Feb 1-5; 5th: 114 (abstract no. 190).
Institute of Clinical Microbiology and Immunology, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Objectives: To describe a quantitative competitive PCR assay (qcPCR) for the detection of cell associated HIV-provirus in semen from HIV infected individuals and to correlate the method with other parameters of viral and cellular characteristics in semen and blood of infected men. Method: DNA was extracted from seminal cells using Qiagen kits. A nested DNA PCR protocol was used for the qualitative detection of HIV-DNA in seminal cells and positive samples further quantified by qcPCR. HIV-RNA detection in seminal plasma (SP), HIV culture of seminal cells (SC), and CD4 cell count in semen was performed using published methods. Semen samples from 64 men were analyzed and results obtained by the different HIV detection methods compared. Results: The detection level of HIV-DNA was less than two copies per amplification and less than 100 HIV-DNA copies per ejaculate. HIV-DNA was detectable in seminal cells from 38% of the individuals. By Spearman's rank, a statistically significant correlation was found between HIV qcPCR in SC and SC culture (0.41), RNA in SP (0.44) and seminal CD4 count (0.39). Conclusion: Cell-associated HIV-DNA can efficiently be extracted and quantified in semen samples. The detection of HIV-DNA in semen correlates with other measures of HIV viral load and CD4 lymphocytes in semen but not with peripheral blood HIV-RNA concentration.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- AIDS Vaccines
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Anti-HIV Agents
- CD4 Lymphocyte Count
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
- Culture
- DNA
- DNA, Viral
- HIV
- HIV Core Protein p24
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- Male
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Proviruses
- RNA
- RNA, Viral
- Semen
- immunology
- organization & administration
Other ID:
UI: 102235769
From Meeting Abstracts