Virological, Neurological and Histological Investigations of a Child Born to a Mother with AIDS.

HIV-1 was isolated from a child at 6 and 9 months of age, proving the vertical transmission of infection from the mother with AIDS. The p24 antigen test of the plasma at 9 months of age was positive as well. A positive PCR reaction was detected in J34 cells, infected with the supernatant of the peripheral blood lymphocytes of the child. According to phenotypic characterization, the virus proved to be a SI (syncytium inducing) isolate, growing in PBL, MT2, J34 and other T and monocytic cell lines. The isolate was AZT sensitive. Two methods were applied for genotypic characterization: 1. Heteroduplex mobility assay (HMA), 2. Sequence analysis of a part of the env gene. On the basis of both of these methods, this virus belongs to the B subtype of HIV-1, which is prevalent mainly in Europe and in the USA. The neurological status of the child was followed regularly. At autopsy the presence of p24 antigen was detected in glial cells of the frontal cortex, proving the presence of the virus in the brain. A retardation of the development of the central nervous system could be observed as well.