Troublesome diagnosis in two children born to HIV-1 infected mothers.

D.LIBERATORE, P.OLIVARI, M.GÓMEZ CARRILLO, M.MARTÍNEZ, L.GARCÍA, C.RODRÍGUEZ, L.MARTÍNEZ PERALTA, O.LIBONATTI, M.M.AVILA.

REVISTA ARGENTINA DE MICROBIOLOGíA

Asociación Argentina de Microbiología.

Lugar: Buenos Aires, Argentina.; Año: 1998 vol. 30 p. 143 - 146

0325-7541

In order to assess early HIV infection vertically transmitted in children it is necessary to use techniques that directly detect HIV. Positive results were found in some rare cases who later seemed to have cleared the infection. We communicate two cases of children with troublesome diagnosis. Two girls born to HIV-1 infected mothers were followed-up since birth up to 40 months old, with viral culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), p24 antigen detection and serologic techniques. PCRs were positive in three opportunities at 2, 8 and 30 months of age in the first child and confirmatory tests for specific antibodies remained indeterminate up to the age of 34 months. Positive viral DNAs were detected in two opportunities in the second child at 2 and 4 months of age. Western Blots were negative since 25 months. No virus was recovered nor was p24 antigen detected during the whole period of study in either child. Sequestration of the virus in lymphatic tissue, low replicative ability of the virus and/or immunological tolerance can be postulated in the first case. In patient 2, it could be hypothesized that infection, if any, had cleared up.