DIAGNOSIS OF HIV-1 INFECTION BY PCR WITH 2 PRIMER PAIRS

We have used two different primer pairs to assess HIV-1 infection of p eripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The study was carried out on 150 individuals: 50 seronegative i ndividuals without risk behaviours for HIV-1 infection, 50 individuals with risk-behaviours but seronegative for HIV-1 and 50 patients with risk-behaviours who were HIV-1 seropositive. Discordances were found b etween the two primer pairs (SK38/39; SK68/69) in 3 cases. In the non- risk seronegative group, one specimen was scored positive with only on e primer pair (SK38/SK39); all the samples belonging to seropositive i ndividuals were found to be positive for HIV-1 DNA using both primer p airs; in the seronegative at risk group 2 samples were positive with o nly one primer pair (SK38/SK39), and 4 samples were found positive by both primer pairs (SK38/39 & SK68/69). Our study demonstrates that dis crepant results take place with relatively high frequency; we propose that all specimens should be tested twice using at least two different primer pairs.