An unusual seroconversion profile in a pregnant woman infected with the human immunodeficiency virus-1: Need for using later generations HIV screening assays

Abstract

The Þ rst HIV-1 marker that appears in blood following infection is HIV-1 RNA and usually the load is in millions of copies/ ml preceding seroconversion. A 24-year-old pregnant woman, gravida 2, parity 1 was tested for HIV as part of antenatal screening. Three samples were collected and tested from this individual over a period 70 days. The HIV-1 RNA level during seroconversion phase was very low contrary to the well understood natural history of HIV infection. The reactivity rate in the ELISA and the Western Blot proÞ le showed a gradual increase over the 70 days with a weak reactivity in a second generation assay (detects IgG only) for the third sample. This case illustrates the uncertainties regarding the serological window period in HIV infection and the need to use at least a third generation assay in testing centres for early detection of HIV infection.

Issues of serological diagnosis of syphilis. Interpretation of the results of serological tests

“…Существует эффект (или период) так называемо го серологического окна, известный для многих ин-фекций [28,29]. При сифилисе он включает период инкубации и начала первичного сифилиса, когда твердый шанкр в виде эрозии или язвы уже появил-ся, а серологические реакции, регистрирующие на-личие антител-реагинов к липоидным антигенам бледной трепонемы, еще отрицательные.…”