B. Vangemen et al., QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DETECTION OF HIV-1 RNA BY NUCLEIC-ACID SEQUENCE-BASED AMPLIFICATION, AIDS, 7, 1993, pp. 190000107-190000110
Aim: To develop a method to detect HIV-1 viral RNA by amplifying a spe
cific nucleic acid sequence. Method: The nucleic acid sequence-based a
mplification (NASBA) method uses the simultaneous activity of avian my
eloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase, T7 RNA polymerase and RNase
H to amplify a specific nucleic acid target sequence.Validation: An in
vitro cultured HIV-1 stock solution was used to validate the NASBA me
thod and determine the variation in RNA measurement. Conclusion: Altho
ugh NASBA is theoretically capable of specific amplification of RNA or
DNA, it is most suitable for amplification of RNA, and therefore for
detection of HIV-1 viral RNA.