Viral loads in dual infection with HIV-1 and cytomegalovirus.
OBJECTIVE
A one year study of the relation between cytomegalovirus (CMV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral loads in a cohort of children with vertically acquired HIV-1 infection.


METHODS
Comparative analysis of viral load measurements for CMV and HIV-1 in peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs) of individual children in relation to age and clinical staging.


METHODS
Nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to measure HIV-1 proviral DNA and CMV genomic DNA in PBLs of 56 children.


RESULTS
The CMV load was highest in 0-2 year old HIV positive children with stage C disease (range, 1-7143 copies/100 ng DNA; median, 125) and was significantly lower in older children. Although higher in young children, HIV-1 viral load did not show the same marked reduction with age that is seen with CMV. Over a one year period, testing of serial samples for both viruses in a subgroup of children revealed a discordant relation between viral loads for CMV and HIV-1.


CONCLUSIONS
CMV viral load falls much faster than HIV viral load in dually infected children. Screening for clinical CMV disease is most likely to be of benefit in children under 2 years of age with stage C disease. In the few children studied, levels of CMV and HIV replication appear to be independent.
D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003587:Cytomegalovirus; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load