Failure to detect silent HIV infection by polymerase chain reaction in subjects at risk for heterosexually transmitted HIV type 1 infection.

The prevalence of silent HIV-1 infections in subjects at risk of acquiring HIV infection by heterosexual transmission was assessed using a nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The two groups of risk subjects consisted of 92 female prostitutes and 43 heterosexual partners of infected individuals. Appropriate positive and negative control persons were included in the study. Serum samples were also tested for antibody to HIV-1 by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and positive results confirmed by Western blot. PCR results in the two risk groups and the positive and negative controls were in full agreement with serological results. It is concluded that silent infection with HIV-1 is infrequent in persons at risk for heterosexual transmission.