Poor correlation has been reported between the Roche Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas (TaqMan) HIV-1 TaqMan assay and the Roche Cobas Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor version 1.5 Amplicor assay. We report 8 patients who experienced unexplained detectable viremia, despite exemplary medication adherence, following a change in viral quantification assay from Amplicor to TaqMan in January 2008. All patients were found to have undetectable HIV RNA by branched DNA (bDNA) assay.
Panel on Clinical Practices for Treatment of HIV Infection convened by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-1-infected adults and adolescents . November 3, 2008. http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov. Accessed August 11, 2009.
2.
Gatanga H., Tsukada K., Honda H., et al. Detection of HIV type 1 load by the Roche Cobas Taqman assay in patients with viral loads previously undetectable by the Roche Cobas Amplicor Monitor. Clin Infect Dis.2009;48(2):260-262.
3.
Lima V., Harrigan R., Montaner JSG.Increased reporting of detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA levels at the critical threshold of 50 copies per milliliter with the Taqman assay in comparison to the Amplicor assay. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr.2009;51(1):3-6.
4.
Moffett L., Cantwell-McNelis K., James C., Szabo S.Long-term medication adherence in HIV+ individuals. Abstract to be presented at: 5th International Conference on HIV Treatment Adherence; May 2010; Miami, FL.
5.
Szabo S., James CW, Joseph A., Steinhaus MC, McNelis KC, Bincsik AKSpurious viral load results and the use of plasma preparation tubes (PPT) . Abstract TuPe0165. Paper presented at: XVI International AIDS Conference; August 2006; Toronto, Canada.
