ALKALINE-PHOSPHATASE BAND-10 FRACTION AS A POSSIBLE SURROGATE MARKER FOR HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 INFECTION IN CHILDREN

We report the utility of a possible lymphocyte fraction of alkaline ph osphatase (ALP band-10) activity in serum to predict human immunodefic iency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in children born to HIV-1-seropos itive mothers. The presence of ALP band 10 in serum consistently corre lated with HIV-1 infection status as judged by positive HIV-1 culture, two consecutive HIV-1 p24 antigen results greater than 30 pg/mL in se rum, and the subsequent confirmation of seroconversion to HIV-1 antibo dy after clearance of maternal IgG anti-HIV-1 antibody ascertained bet ween 15 to 24 months post partum. Infection with HIV-1 was correctly i dentified in 31 samples from 18 patients ranging in age between 0.1 to 10 years; the absence of similar infection was noted in 14 samples fr om nine patients who served as controls and whose serum samples did no t exhibit ALP band-10 activity. This ability of serum ALP band-10 acti vity to predict HIV-1 infection status in children as young as 2 month s may be useful as a surrogate marker for early identification of HIV- 1 infection in infants born to HIV-1-seropositive women long before th e clearance of maternal anti-HIV-1 antibodies can be ascertained.