Use of Calibrated Viral Load Standards for Group M Subtypes of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 To Assess the Performance of Viral RNA Quantitation Tests

Optimal management of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease requires accurate quantitation of viral RNA concentrations in plasma. Evidence for increasing geographic intermixing of HIV-1 subtypes makes equivalent quantitation of all subtypes essential. The performances of six quantitative viral RNA tests are described, for the first time, with calibrated viral isolates of diverse subtypes.