V. All rights reserved.”
“The implementation

of cost effective HIV-1 RNA quantitation assays in resource-poor settings is Of paramount importance for monitoring HV-1 infection. A study comparing the analytical performance of three HIV-1 RNA assays (Generic HIV Viral Load (R), Amplicor Autophagy activator inhibitor (TM) v1.5 and Nuclisens EasyQ (R) v1.2) was performed on 160 plasma samples from 160 consecutive antiretroviral treatment naive HIV-1-infected pregnant women assessed for eligibility in the Kesho Bora trial aimed at prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in three African countries (Burkina Faso, Kenya and South Africa). Correlation and agreement of results of the three assays were assessed for plasma HIV-1 RNA quantitation in specimens harbouring

mainly sub-subtype All, subtype C, and circulating recombinant form (CRF) 02_AG and CRF06_cpx.

Good degrees of correlation and agreement were observed between these HIV-1 RNA assays. However, nine (9/160, 5.6%) strains detectable with the Generic HIV Viral Load (R) assay were not detected by either the Amplicor (TM) (n = 7) or EasyQ (R) (n = 2) test. One strain (0.6%) was missed with the Generic HIV Viral Load (R) assay. Further, concordantly positive plasma samples harbouring CRF02_AG and CRF06_cpx yielded significantly higher HIV-1 RNA concentrations when tested by Generic HIV Viral Load (R), as compared to Amplicor (TM) v1.5 learn more (mean differences, +033 and NADPH-cytochrome-c2 reductase +0.67 log(10) copies/ml; P = 0.0004 and P = 0.002, respectively). The Generic HIV Viral Load (R) assay accurately quantified the majority of the non-B HIV-1 subtypes assessed in this study. Due to its low cost (similar to 10 US $/test), this assay performed with open real-time PCR instruments is now used routinely in the Kesho Bora trial and may be recommended in other African settings. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“A seemingly novel

siadenovirus species was detected by PCR and sequencing in the sample of a great tit (Parus major) found dead in Hungary. Since the genus Siadenovirus has very few known members so far, further study of the virus was intriguing not only from epizootiological but also from taxonomical aspects. The sample, which had been tested in another PCR survey previously. consisted of less than 50 mu 1 of extracted nucleic acid. To ensure sufficient target DNA for an extended study, the viral genome had to be preserved. To this end, the sample was subjected to a novel method of non-specific DNA amplification. Using the amplified DNA as target, different PCR and sequencing strategies were applied with consensus or specific primers for the study of the central genome part of the putative tit adenovirus. The sequence of supposedly one half (13,628 bp) of the genome was determined including eight full genes between the genes of the IVa2 and hexon proteins.