Genetic Evaluation of Suspected Cases of Transient HIV-1 Infection of Infants

• DOI: 10.1126/science.280.5366.1073
• Publication Date: 2002-07-27T09:42:47Z
• Authors: Lisa M. Frenkel; James I. Mullins; Gerald H. Learn; Laura Manns-Arcuino; Belinda L. Herring; Marcia L. Kalish; Richard W. Steketee; Donald M. Thea; Joan E. Nichols; Shan-Lu Liu; Abdallah Harmache; Xi He; David Muthui; Anup Madan; Leroy Hood; Ashley T. Haase; Mary Zupancic; Katherine Staskus; Steven Wolinsky; Paul Krogstad; JiaQi Zhao; Irvin Chen; Richard Koup; David Ho; Bette Korber; Raymond J. Apple; Robert W. Coombs; Savita Pahwa; Norbert J. Roberts
• Keywords: Viremia; Transient (computer programming)

Detection of human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 (HIV-1) on only one or a few occasions in infants born to infected mothers has been interpreted indicate that infection may be transient rather than persistent. Forty-two cases suspected HIV-1 viremia among 1562 perinatally exposed seroreverting and mother were reanalyzed. env sequences not found specimens from 20; 6, somatic genetic analysis revealed mistakenly attributed an infant; 17, phylogenetic failed demonstrate the expected linkage between infant's mother's virus. These findings argue infection, if it exists, will rarely satisfactorily documented.