Quantitation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 DNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells by Using a Quantitative-Competitive PCR Assay |
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| Authors: | Perp tua Gomes, Nuno Costa Taveira, Jos Moniz Pereira, Francisco Antunes, M. O. Santos Ferreira, Maria Helena Louren o |
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| Affiliation: | Perpétua Gomes, Nuno Costa Taveira, José Moniz Pereira, Francisco Antunes, M. O. Santos Ferreira, and Maria Helena Lourenço |
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| Abstract: | A new quantitative-competitive PCR-based human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) proviral DNA assay (QC-PCR) was developed and used to determine the proviral load in HIV-2-infected individuals. Proviral load varied considerably, with means of 1,831 copies per 106 peripheral blood mononuclear cells for asymptomatic subjects (n = 19) and 2,587 for AIDS patients (n = 2). HIV-2 viral and proviral loads also varied significantly over time in asymptomatic patients. These data suggest that a high level of virus replication occurs throughout the asymptomatic phase of HIV-2 infection. |
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