title: Long-term human immunodeficiency virus infection in asymptomatic homosexual and bisexual men with normal CD4+ lymphocyte counts: immunologic and virologic characteristics.
abstract: From a prospective cohort study, 24 asymptomatic men were identified who had been antibody positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for at least 5 years (median = 9.1) with CD4+ lymphocyte counts greater than or equal to 400 cells/mm3. Of these "nonprogressors", 23 (96%) had evidence of HIV infection by either HIV culture or the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HIV DNA, although only 1 (4%) had a positive assay for HIV RNA (by PCR) and no one was positive for p24 antigen. Compared with 24 antibody-negative men and 14 men with AIDS, nonprogressors had higher CD8+ counts and lower natural killer cell activity. Nonprogressors had higher beta 2-microglobulin levels than did seronegative controls, suggesting some degree of immune system activation. Compared with men with AIDS, nonprogressors seemed to have a stronger antibody response to six different HIV-related proteins but did not differ significantly in neutralizing antibody or antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxic activity.
authors.affiliation: AIDS Program, Department of Public Health, San Francisco.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Lifson
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Buchbinder
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Sheppard
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Mawle
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wilber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanley
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Hessol
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Holmberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006678:HIV / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004279:DNA, Viral; D015483:HIV Antibodies; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin