title: Clinical significance of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 phenotypes in infected children.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates from perinatally infected infants and children were examined for syncytium-inducing (SI) capacity. All isolates from 14 infants < 1 year old had non-syncytium-inducing (NSI) HIV-1 phenotypes. Within their first year, 10 infants progressed to AIDS and 3 died. Of isolates from 26 children > 2 years old, 13 had SI HIV-1 phenotypes and 13 had NSI strains. Children with SI virus had significantly lower CD4+ cell counts standardized for age and were significantly older than those with NSI strains (P = .008 and .001, respectively); the effect of viral phenotype on CD4+ lymphocytes could not be detected independent of age. In another group, children with SI strains were more likely to show in vitro zidovudine resistance. Results suggest a biphasic response to HIV infection in children. Progression to AIDS may occur rapidly in infants with NSI HIV-1, but older children tend to have SI phenotypes and lower CD4+ lymphocyte counts and more often show zidovudine resistance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego.
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Ogino
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Dankner
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Spector
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000382:microbiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015726:Giant Cells; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010641:Phenotype; D013045:Species Specificity; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D015215:Zidovudine