Clinical correlations in HIV-1 and HIV-2 infected patients.
In Portugal, the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) seropositivity is higher than in other European countries or North America. Recent literature data points out a possible difference on the pathogenic potential and on the natural history of HIV-1 and HIV-2, suggesting a lower virulence of HIV-2. Facing these hypothesis and the increasing number of HIV-2 cases, we analysed two infected groups HIV-1 and HIV-2, trying to correlate the ophthalmologic lesions present in both populations and searching for a difference in the clinical presentation of the ocular disorder. We studied prospectively 214 patients with HIV infection at several stages, 83% HIV-1 and 17% HIV-2. Ocular manifestations were present in both populations with a significant prevalence in HIV-1 (48%), compared to HIV-2 (19%) (p < 0.005). The ophthalmologic pathology found, particularly noninfectious retinopathy, infectious retinitis and neuro-ophthalmic disorders, were considered important for the disease's diagnosis and prognosis. All these ophthalmic findings were present in the HIV-1 population. In the HIV-2 group the most frequent lesion was noninfectious retinopathy. Within each group, HIV-1 and HIV-2, the comparison of the survival between AIDS patients with and without ocular lesions, revealed a significant shorter survival time in those with ocular pathology (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05). There seems to exist a certain analogy in clinical expression in both groups, although it is possible to admit a lower severity in ocular involvement in patients infected by HIV-2.
Monteiro-Grillo
M
M
Lisbon University Eye Clinic, Santa Maria Hospital, Lisboa, Portugal.
Sousa
A P
AP
Galvao
J
J
Yueh
M
M
Neves
C
C
Ribeiro-da-Silva
J
J
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000175:diagnosis; D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015828:Eye Infections, Viral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000472:pathogenicity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies