       Document 0988
 DOCN  M9620988
 TI    Diagnosis of HIV infection from bloodstains by PCR. A further marker for
       identification.
 DT    9602
 AU    Giorgetti R; Rassu M; Tagliabracci A; Franchin E; Palu G; Ferrara SD;
       Istituto di Medicina Legale dell'Universita di Padova, Italy.
 SO    Int J Legal Med. 1995;107(6):296-300. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/96022709
 AB    The forensic usefulness of the detection of HIV infection in bloodstains
       is linked to the increasing spread of HIV infection and the consequent
       rise in the number of forensic cases involving HIV-positive subjects.
       This study was designed to detect HIV infection in bloodstains of
       various ages obtained from HIV-positive patients treated with zidovudine
       (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, AZT) using PCR methods. Of the 3 kinds of
       extraction and amplification methods checked, only a nested PCR method
       for the amplification of a sequence located in the HIV Reverse
       Transcriptase (RT) region was successful. This method, involving 2
       amplification steps (1: fragment of 768 bp; 2: codons 41-67-70-215-219),
       encompasses the mutations commonly observed during AZT therapy and
       overcomes the limitations inherent in serological testing. The
       discriminatory power of the method can detect specific mutation patterns
       in the RT gene linked to drug resistance and compares the specific
       pattern of the blood-stain with fresh blood or other specimens from the
       subject in question.
 DE    Antiviral Agents/THERAPEUTIC USE  Base Sequence  Biological Markers
       *Blood Stains  DNA, Viral/*GENETICS  Forensic Medicine  Human  HIV
       Infections/*DIAGNOSIS/DRUG THERAPY  Molecular Sequence Data
       Mutation/DRUG EFFECTS  Polymerase Chain Reaction/METHODS
       Zidovudine/THERAPEUTIC USE  CLINICAL TRIAL  JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).

