University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0679, USA.
Curr Opin HIV AIDS. 2013 Mar;8(2):106-10. doi: 10.1097/COH.0b013e32835d811b.
Measurements of HIV burden have relied upon quantification of viral nucleic acids by real-time PCR (qPCR). To develop and test strategies for eradication, new methods are needed to better characterize residual cellular reservoirs in patients on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART). This review summarizes recent advances that may lead to clinically useful tests with improved sensitivity, reproducibility and throughput.
HIV DNA remains the most sensitive measure of residual infection, but its low levels are difficult to differentiate from assay noise by qPCR. Digital PCR has begun to improve the precision of existing real-time assays, but there remains a need to distinguish replication-competent proviruses. Rapid technological progress in single-cell analysis is beginning to offer new approaches, notably CyTOF and microengraving, which could provide vastly more information about the composition of the latent reservoir.
To investigate and assess therapies directed towards eradication, improved assays that simultaneously offer high sensitivity, precision and information content will be needed.
HIV 载量的测量一直依赖于实时 PCR（qPCR）定量检测病毒核酸。为了开发和测试根除策略，需要新的方法来更好地描述接受抑制性抗逆转录病毒疗法（ART）患者的残留细胞储库。本综述总结了可能导致具有更高灵敏度、重现性和通量的临床有用检测的最新进展。
HIV DNA 仍然是残留感染的最敏感指标，但通过 qPCR 很难区分其低水平与检测噪声。数字 PCR 已开始提高现有实时检测的精度，但仍需要区分具有复制能力的前病毒。单细胞分析的快速技术进步开始提供新的方法，特别是 CyTOF 和微刻蚀，这可能提供关于潜伏储库组成的大量更多信息。
为了研究和评估针对根除的治疗方法，需要改进的检测方法，这些方法同时具有高灵敏度、高精度和信息含量。
