Immunological comparison of HIV-1-, HIV-2- and dually-reactive women delivering in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the basic immunological changes induced by HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection and to assess the immune status of subjects serologically reactive to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 (dually-reactive).


METHODS
Immune parameters were studied cross-sectionally in women delivering in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa, where HIV-1 and HIV-2 are endemic. In this area, a significant number of sera from infected individuals are reactive to both HIV-1 and HIV-2.


METHODS
Two hundred and twenty-eight women delivering in a major maternity clinic were screened for HIV-1 and HIV-2 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seropositivity was confirmed by Western blot. The immune parameters studied were CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulin (Ig) serum levels, neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2M) serum levels.


RESULTS
Similar but less pronounced immune changes were present in HIV-2-reactive subjects compared with HIV-1- and dually-reactive subjects. The observed differences between the HIV-seropositive groups could not be explained by differences in age or disease stage but paralleled differences in the frequency of persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL). The intermediate immune profile of HIV-2-reactives (between seronegatives and HIV-1- and dually-reactives) was most clearly reflected by the number of CD8+ lymphocytes, the CD4:CD8 ratio and the IgG serum level. Median neopterin and beta 2M levels, though significantly increased in all HIV-seropositive groups, did not differ significantly between HIV-2-, HIV-1- and dually-reactives.


CONCLUSIONS
HIV-2 infection is associated with typical HIV-related immunological changes. Immunologically, dually-reactives resemble HIV-1-reactives more closely than HIV-2-reactive subjects.
Kestens
L
L
Laboratory of Pathology and Immunology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Brattegaard
K
K
Adjorlolo
G
G
Ekpini
E
E
Sibailly
T
T
Diallo
K
K
Gigase
P L
PL
Gayle
H
H
De Cock
K M
KM
D000328:Adult; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000276:immunology*
D007132:Immunoglobulin Isotypes