title: Virologic, immunologic, and clinical follow-up of a couple infected by the human immunodeficiency virus type one, group O.
abstract: The pathogenic course (virologic, immunologic, and clinical changes) of infection due to human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV-1) group O viruses is unknown at present. To address this issue, serial HIV-1 isolates from a married couple (patients A and B) infected with a group O virus were analyzed to determine the temporal association between disease status and alterations in several parameters including plasma viral burden as measured by semiquantitative polymerase chain reaction, changes in CD4+ T cells, presence of neutralizing antibodies, and the ability to induce syncytia on the MT2 cells. For patient A who has been asymptomatic for at least 8 years, both the absence of syncytium-inducing (SI) variants and the presence of autologous and heterologous neutralizing antibodies correlated with a clinically healthier status. In contrast, a switch from NSI to SI variants was observed in patient B in 1990, followed by an expanded in vitro host range, increased viral burden, and a sharp decrease in CD4+ T cells 4 years later. Moreover, plasma obtained from this patient uniformly failed to neutralize both autologous and heterologous viruses. These observations in patient B correlated with a slightly unfavorable clinical status. Based on our preliminary results, it appears that the pathogenic course of infections due to group O viruses is similar to that reported previously for infections due to group M viruses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Nkengasong
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fransen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Willems
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karita
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vingerhoets
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kestens
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Colebunders
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piot
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: van der Groen
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012747:Sexual Partners; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D015483:HIV Antibodies