STABILITY OF INFECTIOUS HIV IN CLINICAL-SAMPLES AND ISOLATION FROM SMALL VOLUMES OF WHOLE-BLOOD

Aims-To evaluate the stability of infectious HIV in clinical samples a nd the efficiency of isolating it from small volumes of whole blood. M ethods-Titres of infectious HIV were measured in peripheral blood mono nuclear cells and plasma 2, 24, and 48 hours after peripheral blood ha d been collected from 10 HIV positive adult volunteers. Volumes of who le blood (1 ml to 5 mu l), collected from a further five volunteers, w ere used to determine the minimum volume from which HIV could be isola ted. Infectious HIV was isolated by co-culture with phytohaemagglutini n stimulated umbilical cord mononuclear cells. Results-Geometric mean titres of infectious HIV seemed to be more stable in peripheral blood mononuclear cells than in plasma. HIV was recovered from all 10 periph eral blood mononuclear cell samples during the 48 hours after sample c ollection, but from only four plasma samples. HIV could occasionally b e isolated from 5 mu l of whole blood and reliably from 200 mu l. Conc lusions-HIV can be isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells an d plasma for up to 48 hours after sample collection. Isolation of HIV from small volumes of whole blood has applications for the diagnosis a nd management, of HIV positive children.