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The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) could be an ideal diagnostic test for HIV infection, since it directly amplifies proviral HIV DNA and does not require antibody formation by the host. It is already used in settings where antibody production is unpredictable or difficult to interpret, such as in acute HIV infection or in the perinatal period. However, based on this careful review of published studies and abstracts, HIV PCR test performance is not yet accurate enough to be used as the sole criterion for HIV infection in adults.
In their literature search, the authors found over 5,000 articles that were potentially relevant, which were then narrowed to 379 for further review. Using strict criteria for study quality, 96 published articles met…