Abstract
The value of HIV-1 IgA antibodies for early diagnosis of HIV infection in infants in serum, saliva and urine was investigated at Mulago Hospital, Kampala. Sensitivity and specificity in serum of HIV-infected infants at different ages were: 0 to 1 months, 88 and 95%; 1 to 3 months, 88 and 97%; 4 to 6 months, 80 and 96%. They decreased between 67 and 77% and 80 to 91%, respectively, in older age groups. Sensitivity for saliva was lower (53 to 79%) and urine only 37 to 62%, although specificity was reasonably high (>85%). The high proportion of infants with raised HIV IgA in the first months of life (88%) may represent prenatal infection. Sensitivity of serum and especially salivary and urinary HIV IgA is too low to be of practical value for early diagnosis of HIV infection in infants.
Publication types
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Comparative Study
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / analysis*
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Cohort Studies
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Developing Countries
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Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
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Female
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HIV Antibodies / analysis
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HIV Antibodies / immunology*
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HIV Infections / diagnosis
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HIV Infections / immunology*
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HIV Infections / transmission
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HIV-1 / immunology
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Humans
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Immunoglobulin A / analysis
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Immunoglobulin A / immunology*
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Immunoglobulin G / analysis
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Immunoglobulin G / immunology
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Incidence
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Infant, Newborn
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Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical*
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Male
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Polymerase Chain Reaction
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Pregnancy
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Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / diagnosis*
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Risk Factors
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Saliva / virology
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Sensitivity and Specificity
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Uganda / epidemiology
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Urinalysis
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Urine / virology
Substances
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Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic
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HIV Antibodies
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Immunoglobulin A
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Immunoglobulin G