Real-time quantitative PCR and fast QPCR have similar sensitivity and accuracy with HIV cDNA late reverse transcripts and 2-LTR circles.

Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (universal QPCR) methods are used routinely in both academic and clinical research to measure HIV cDNA. Fast QPCR allows for faster ramping times between cycles and smaller reaction volumes, but may lose sensitivity and accuracy. We demonstrate that primer sets for HIV late reverse transcripts and 2-LTR circles have similar sensitivity and accuracy with either universal or fast QPCR methods. However, both cost and time are reduced with fast QPCR.