Laboratory study of HIV-1 and HTLV-I/II coinfection.
A Retroviral Coinfection Clinic was established in 1991 at Charity Hospital Medical Center of Louisiana to study patients dually infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV-I, HTLV-II). Eight patients were evaluated clinically, and by immunological and virological studies. Multiple neuromuscular diseases were observed, including tropical spastic paraparesis, polymyositis, and polyneuropathies. Only one patient developed AIDS. HIV-1 infected patients with HTLV-I, but not HTLV-II, coinfection have maintained stable CD4 counts, despite the fact that quantitative HIV DNA PCR suggests a relatively high copy number. HTLV-I/II antigens were detected in lymphocyte cultures from four patients, and lymphoblastoid cell lines have been established from two. These results support the contention that upregulated HTLV-I/II virus expression and disease manifestations occur during coinfection with HIV, sometimes in association with normal CD4 counts.
Section of Infectious Diseases, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112.
M A
MA
Beilke
D L
DL
Greenspan
A
A
Impey
J
J
Thompson
P J
PJ
Didier
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015367:Human T-lymphotropic virus 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004279:DNA, Viral