HIV DNA and antibodies in syringes from injecting drug users: a comparison of detection techniques.

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1993. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

HIV DNA and antibodies in syringes from injecting drug users: a comparison of detection techniques.

AIDS. 1993 Jul;7(7):925-31. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE MED/93363255
Myers SS; Heimer R; Liu D; Henrard D; Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of; Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Direct HIV testing of individual injecting drug users is not always feasible. As an alternative, we have evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of several techniques for detecting HIV-1-specific products in used syringes. DESIGN: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and antibody-capture assays were compared using syringes prepared with blood from HIV-1-positive and negative individuals. METHODS: PCR sensitivity was maximized, enabling detection of single copies of HIV-1-specific proviral DNA. The limits of detection from used syringes were determined for PCR by diluting extracts and correlated to CD4+ cell counts. Similarly, limits of detection were determined for enzyme immunoassays (EIA) and Western blot. RESULTS: All techniques were highly specific, although with PCR false-positives were detected occasionally. EIA proved more sensitive than Western blot in detecting needles containing HIV-1-infected individuals' blood. Even after prolonged storage of syringes at room temperature, EIA was equal to or better than PCR as an HIV-1 detection technique. The most sensitive method for detecting HIV-1 was the viral-based EIA when the recommended predilution step was omitted. CONCLUSIONS: EIA proved preferable to PCR because of their higher sensitivity, absence of false-positives and easier sample preparation and analysis.

Keywords: Blotting, Western Comparative Study DNA, Viral/*ISOLATION & PURIF Human HIV Antibodies/*ANALYSIS HIV Seropositivity/*DIAGNOSIS HIV-1/ISOLATION & PURIF Immunoenzyme Techniques Polymerase Chain Reaction *Substance Abuse, Intravenous Support, Non-U.S. Gov't *Syringes JOURNAL ARTICLE
931230
M93C0754

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