Diagnosis and prediction of pediatric HIV-1 infection and AIDS: Current status

✍ Scribed by Kenneth E. Ugen; Joan M. Von Feldt; David B. Weiner; Dr. Ulrike H. M. Ziegner

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 624 KB
• Volume: 8
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0887-8013
• DOI: 10.1002/jcla.1860080509

✦ Synopsis

The increase in the incidence of HIV-1 infection in women of child bearing age has resulted in a surge in the number of cases of pediatricAIDS.The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that the number of cases of pediatricAIDS worldwide will be at least 10 million by the year 2000. This alarming statistic underscores the need for accurate prediction and diagnosis of pediatric HIV-1 infection which is of paramount importance for the initiation of effective therapeutic interventions. Since circulating maternal anti-HIV-1 antibody persists in the baby for up to 21 months, early conventional serological diagnosis of infection is not possible.

Other methods for diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in a child less than 2 years of age have been utilized including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), measurements of the HIV-1 p24 core protein and anti-HIV-1 IgA, as well in vitro measurements of antibody producing cells. In addition, the ability to predict HIV-1 infection in the child based upon maternal humoral immune responses to the envelope glycoprotein has also been suggested. This review summarizes the recent serological, biological and molecular methodologies used to predict and diagnose pediatric HIV-1 infection and AIDS.