DEVELOPMENT OF A RAPID QUANTITATIVE ASSAY FOR HIV-1 PLASMA INFECTIOUSVIREMIA-CULTURE-PCR (CPID)

A simple and rapid assay for the quantification of infectious HIV-1 in plasma was developed using short-term culture and DNA PCR. This metho d, called culture-PCR, allows detection and quantification of infectio us HIV-1 viraemia within 48 hours, and measures the number of infectio us cell-free HIV-1 particles, expressed as culture PCR infectious dose s (CPID/ml). 42 HIV infected subjects were assessed by this method. Th e titres obtained by CPID closely correlated with CD4(+) count and cli nical status. CPID titres had significant correlation with infectious virus titre determined by conventional limiting dilution tissue-cultur e methods. This culture-PCR technique permits rapid assessment of infe ctious plasma viraemia, and is comparable to longer culture based assa y methods. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.