Serological, virological, and polymerase chain reaction studies of HIV type 1 and HIV type 2 infections in Ghanaian patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex.

We have used a particle agglutination (PA) test, Western blot (WB) test, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, and virus isolation to define the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status of 17 acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), 6 AIDS-related complex (ARC), and 2 asymptomatic Ghanaians. HIV-1 antibodies were more frequently detected. The PCR detected 66.7% HIV-1, 11.1% HIV-2, and 5.6% of both HIV-1 and HIV-2 proviral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMCs) and PBMC-Molt 4 coculture samples tested. Of the 12 viruses isolated from the 25 Ghanaians, 9 were HIV-1, 2 were HIV-2, and both HIV-1 and HIV-2 were isolated from 1 individual. Two of the HIV-1 isolates were from ARC patients who have been PA negative and either HIV-1 or HIV-2 WB indeterminate for more than 1 year without developing antibodies to HIV envelope proteins. Our results indicate that HIV-1 is now predominant in Ghanaian AIDS and ARC patients and that dual infection can occur.