HIV in Seronegative Infants Born to Infected Mothers
Author Information
Author(s): Pérez JA Vázquez, Sigales MC Basualdo, G Reyes-Terán, Rosales JC Gudiño, Claudín C Soler
Primary Institution: Unidad de Servicios Para Diagnóstico y Referencia en VIH, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas UNAM/Secretaría de Salud del DF, México D.F.
Hypothesis
Can silent infection in seronegative infants born to HIV-infected mothers be explained by the presence of integrated viral DNA?
Conclusion
HIV-1 DNA was observed in PBMC from HIV exposed seronegative children in this pediatric cohort.
Supporting Evidence
- HIV-1 DNA was detected in all eight infants' PBMC samples.
- Two infants tested positive for HIV DNA at 2 years of age.
- Nested PCR confirmed the presence of integrated HIV-1 DNA in the host genome.
Takeaway
Some babies born to mothers with HIV can have the virus in their bodies without getting sick or showing signs of infection.
Methodology
Nested PCR was used to detect viral DNA, and integration into the host genome was assessed by Alu-LTR PCR.
Potential Biases
Contamination in PCR processes was minimized but cannot be completely ruled out.
Limitations
The study could not analyze the sequence of the virus from the children's mothers to confirm relatedness.
Participant Demographics
Pediatric cohort of HIV seronegative infants born to HIV-infected mothers.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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