TITLE:
Implementation of an In-House Quantitative Real-Time PCR for Determination of HIV Viral Load in Kinshasa
AUTHORS:
Kamangu Ntambwe Erick, Chatte Adawaye, Boreux Raphael, Kalala Lunganza Richard, Mvumbi Lelo Georges, Demol Patrick, Vaira Dolores, Hayette Marie Pierre
KEYWORDS:
Real Time PCR, Viral Load, Kinshasa, HIV
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.1 No.7,
October
23,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background: Measurement of Viral Load (VL) is the most reliable mean for evaluating virological monitoring of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection. It allows determination of the amount of virus present in a given volume. Due to the constraints of costs, the VL is not often requested for patient’s follow-up in countries with limited resources. Hence the objective of this study is to implement an in-house Quantitative Real-Time PCR to assess the VL of HIV infected patients in Kinshasa. Methods: One hundred and fifty five patients positive for HIV type 1, naive of Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) and eligible for treatment were included in the study. Five milliliter of blood was collected in a tube with anticoagulant. One milliliter of plasma was sent to the laboratory for analysis. After RNA extraction, a Quantitative Real time PCR was performed on a portion of the region of the Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) of the virus. Results: Of 155 samples received for determination of VL by Quantitative Real-Time PCR, 153 were successfully amplified according to the protocol. The median VL was 301052.97 copies/ml or 5.48 log10. Conclusions: The results of VL were used to assess the feasibility of the Real-Time Quantitative PCR. It turns a simple, reliable and less expensive alternative for the diagnosis and virological monitoring of HIV patients under ART.