DIRECT POLYMERASE CHAIN-REACTION FOR DETECTION OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS IN BLOOD SPOT RESIDUES ON FILTER-PAPER AFTER ELUTION OF ANTIBODIES - AN ADJUNCT TO SEROLOGICAL SURVEYS FOR ESTIMATING VERTICAL TRANSMISSION RATES AMONG HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS ANTIBODY-POSITIVE NEWBORNS

Blood spot residues on filter paper circles from which antibodies have been eluted remain suitable for follow-up polymerase chain reaction to detect human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) provirus. A method has been developed for specimen processing and nested polymerase chain reaction amplification with a single tube. HIV-positive specimens can be detected by simple, direct electrophoresis of amplified material to a single copy of provirus. The procedure is particularly suited for survey purposes to estimate rates of vertical transmission of virus among HIV antibody-positive newborns, in whom virus loads may be low.