title: HIV-2-induced immunosuppression among asymptomatic West African prostitutes: evidence that HIV-2 is pathogenic, but less so than HIV-1.
abstract: Two hundred and forty-one prostitutes working in The Gambia were tested for retroviral infections and their immune system evaluated. Sixty-three were seropositive for HIV-2 only, five for HIV-1 only and six for both HIV-1 and HIV-2 (26.1, 2.1 and 2.5%, respectively). When compared to seronegative individuals, the 63 women infected with HIV-2 clearly had an abnormal immune system, with significantly lower CD4+ and higher CD8+ lymphocyte counts and percentages, lower CD4+:CD8+ ratios, lower CD25+ (activated) lymphocyte counts, and lower lymphocyte proliferation responses after stimulation with phytohaemagglutinin, purified protein derivative (PPD), Candida or pokeweed mitogen, and higher levels of neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin. However, when the HIV-2-seropositive prostitutes were compared with the five women infected with HIV-1, the former were less abnormal, with significantly higher CD4+ percentages and CD4+:CD8+ ratios and lower CD8+ percentages and counts. Immunological anomalies were seen in five women known to have been infected with HIV-2 for less than 17 months. Coinfection with HTLV-1 resulted in more severe immunological alterations than infection with HIV-2 alone.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pepin
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gevao
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mendy
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gaye
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scollen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tedder
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Whittle
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000818:Animals; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005714:Gambia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D019798:Neopterin; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D011477:Sex Work; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin