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• hCG Combo
• RSV
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• Exact Influenza A&B
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About HIV

 

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) remain leading causes of illness and death in the United States. However, at the end of 2003, of the approximately 1.0-1.2 million people estimated to be living with HIV in the United States, an estimated one quarter (252,000--312,000 people) were unaware of their infection and therefore unable to benefit from clinical care to reduce morbidity and mortality. A number of these people are likely to have transmitted HIV unknowingly.

 

Treatment has improved survival rates dramatically, especially since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in 1995. However, progress in effecting earlier diagnosis has been insufficient. The good news is that the new CDC guidelines have removed much of the barriers to screening and now encourages HIV testing all people 13-64 years of age in the United States.

 

Discovered in 1983, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a retrovirus and identified as

the etiologic agent for the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and AIDS related complex¹. AIDS is characterized by changes in the population of T-cell lymphocytes that play a key role in the immune defense system. In the infected individual the virus causes a depletion of a subpopulation of T-cells, called T-helper cells, which leaves these patients susceptible to opportunistic infections and certain malignancies. The major routes of transmission are sexual contact, exposure to contaminated blood or blood products (including sharing of contaminated syringes and needles) and mother-to-newborn transmission.^2-4

 

Although there has been a decrease in the rate of infection in certain countries, the number of people infected with HIV globally has continued to increase. By the end of 2005 there were approximately 40.3 million people living with HIV/AIDS, an increase from nearly 37.5 million in 2003. An estimated 5 million people were newly infected with HIV in 2005. In the same year more than 3 million died of AIDS-related illness; more than 500,000 of these were children.⁵

 

HIV infection, AIDS and AIDS related complex have become a leading cause of illness and death in the United States for the past two decades. As of December 2001, a total of 774,467 people were reported with AIDS and 448,060 of these had died. Approximately 800,000 – 900,000 people in the United States are infected with HIV and approximately 80,000 - 280,000 of these may not be aware of their infected status.⁶

 

The HIV virus consists of a genomic RNA molecule protected by a capsid and an envelope. The HIV envelope is the major target for a humoral antibody response. The presence of the virus in patients causes the immune system to elicit the production of antibodies. The detection of these antibodies can be used as a diagnostic tool.

 

Enzyme Immunoassays (EIAs), Western Blots (WB), Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAT) assays and various other test systems are currently available for detection of HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection.^7-11 Clearview COMPLETE HIV 1/2 utilises immobilized antigens for the detection of antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2, and is a point-of-care test to aid in the diagnosis of infection with HIV-1 and HIV-2.

 

Useful Links:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/

 

 

References

 

1. Essex, M. (1999) Human immunodeficiency viruses in the developing world. Adv Virus Res 53 : 71-88.
   
2. Kanki, P.J., Hopper, J.R. and Essex, M. (1987) The origins of HIV-1 and HTLV-4/HIV/2. Ann N Y Acad Sci 511 : 370-375.
   
3. Nicoll, A., Gill, O.N. (1999) The global impact of HIV infection and disease. Commun Dis Publ Health 2 : 85-95.
   
4. Valdiserri R.O., Holtgrave, D.R., West, G.R. (1999) Promoting early diagnosis and entry into care. AIDS 13 : 2317-2330.
   
5. UNAIDS / WHO Press Release (2005) HIV Infection Rates Decreasing in Several Countries but Globally Number of People Living with HIV Continue to Rise. Available at www.unaids.org/epi/2005/doc/docs/PR EpiUpdateNov05en.pdf: 1-3.
   
6. CDC. Revised Guidelines for HIV Counseling, Testing and Referral and Revised Recommendations for HIV Screening of Pregnant Women. MMWR 2001; 50(19);32-35.
   
7. Essex, M., Kanki, P. J., Marlink, R., et al. (1990) Antigenic characterization of the human immunodeficiency viruses. J Am Acad Dermatol 22 : 1206-1210.
   
8. Essex, M., McLane, M.F., Lee, T.H. et al. (1983) Antibodies to cell membrane antigens associated with human T-cell leukemia virus in patients with AIDS. Science 220 : 859-862.
   
9. Gallo, R.C., Saluahuddin, S.Z., Popovic, M., et al. (1984) Frequent detection and isolation of cytopathic retroviruses (HTLVIII) from patients with AIDS and at risk for AIDS. Science 224 : 500-503.
   
10. Kenealy, W., Reed, D., Cybulsky, R., et.al. (1987) Analysis of human serum antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) using recombinant ENV and GAG antigens. AIDS Res Human Retrovir 3:95-105.
    
11. Kovacs, A., Xu, J., Rasheed, S., et al. (1995) Comparison of a rapid non-isotopic polymerase chain reaction assay with four commonly used methods for the early diagnosis of human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 infection in neonates and children. Pediatr Infect Dis J 14 : 948-954.