Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Accurate Tool Developed to Track New HIV Infections

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 04 Jan 2018
An effort is underway to develop a more accurate way to gauge the incidence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections in large populations, which will improve scientific studies and prevention strategies worldwide.

Accurate HIV-1 incidence estimation is critical to the success of HIV-1 prevention strategies. More...
Current assays are limited by high false recent rates (FRRs) in certain populations and a short mean duration of recent infection (MDRI).

A large team of scientists working with those at Duke University Medical Center (Durham, NC, USA) received for testing 132 well-characterized untreated specimens drawn within 800 days of estimated date of seroconversion (EDSC) (120 unique subjects) for MDRI estimation and 134 specimens (121 subjects) from untreated and 58 specimens (56 subjects) from treated longstanding infection for FRR estimation. Specimens were largely from subjects infected with subtypes B (56%) and C (43%).

The investigators profiled HIV-1–specific binding antibody responses in participant serum or plasma. They evaluated antibody binding to a unique and broad set of HIV-1 antigens that included gp120, gp140, and V1-V2 antigens of multiple subtypes (i.e., A, CRF01-AE, B, C, and CRF07-BC) from both sexes. Serum and plasma were diluted in binding antibody multiplex assays (BAMA) and detection performed on either a Bioplex 200 or Luminex FM3D machine.

The scientists found that discriminant function analysis identified an optimal set of measurements that were subsequently evaluated in a 324-specimen blinded biomarker validation panel. These biomarkers included clade C gp140 IgG3, transmitted/founder clade C gp140 IgG4 avidity, clade B gp140 IgG4 avidity, and gp41 immunodominant region IgG avidity. MDRI was estimated at 215 day or alternatively, 267 days. FRRs in untreated and treated subjects were 5.0% and 3.6%, respectively.

Georgia Tomaras, PhD, a professor in the Department of Surgery and senior author of the study, said, “Recent advances, including effective anti-retroviral drugs that both treat and prevent HIV infections, have changed the landscape in the HIV field. Improved methods for classifying recent infection from older infections are critically needed to help identify the most effective prevention strategies. Having a more accurate HIV incidence test could substantially reduce costs for scientists, because they would need a much smaller sample size to enroll in studies.” The study was published on December 21, 2017, in the journal JCI Insight.

Related Links:
Duke University Medical Center


Gold Member
Flocked Fiber Swabs
Puritan® Patented HydraFlock®
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Drug Test Kit
DrugCheck 3000
New
Staining Management Software
DakoLink
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Pathology

view channel
These images illustrate how precision oncology Organ Chips recapitulate individual patients’ responses to chemotherapy (Photo courtesy of Wyss Institute at Harvard University)

Cancer Chip Accurately Predicts Patient-Specific Chemotherapy Response

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), one of the two primary types of esophageal cancer, ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and currently lacks effective targeted therapies.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.