Dual infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 and type 2: impact on HIV type 1 viral load and immune activation markers in HIV-seropositive female sex workers in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
To determine the impact of dual infection with HIV-1 and HIV-2 on HIV-1 viral load and markers of immune activation among HIV-seropositive FSWs in Abidjan, we analyzed blood samples obtained from consenting HIV-seropositive FSWs attending a confidential clinic between September 1996 and June 1997 in Abidjan. Among HIV-1 and HIV-2 dually seropositive FSWs, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing with HIV-1 and HIV-2 primers was used to differentiate between FSWs who were PCR positive only for HIV-1 and those positive for both HIV-1 and HIV-2 (dually infected). Of the 203 FSWs, 151 (74%) were HIV-1 seropositive only (median age, 26 years), 4 (2%) were HIV-2 seropositive, and 48 (24%) were dually seropositive (median age, 30 years). Of the 48 dually seropositive FSWs, 33 (69%) were dually infected and 15 (31%) were dually seropositive. Median CD4+ T cell counts per microliter were not significantly different among the three groups (525 for HIV-1 positive only, 502 for dually infected, and 416 for dually seropositive) (p = 0.14). Median viral load (log10 copies/ml) was not significantly different among the HIV-1-only FSWs (4.8 log10 copies/ml) compared with the 32 dually infected FSWs (4.6 log10 copies/ml) and 14 dually seropositive FSWs (4.7 log10 copies/ml; p = 0.95). Median levels of HLA-DR immune activation were increased in both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells for the dually infected (n = 27) FSWs compared with those infected with HIV-1 only (n = 123) (p = 0.019 and p = 0.01, respectively). Dual infection does not appear to influence levels of HIV-1 viral load in vivo. However, levels of HLA-DR are higher among FSWs dually infected with HIV-1 and HIV-2 than among those infected with HIV-1 only.
Nkengasong
J N
JN
Laboratory of Virology, Project RETRO-CI, Abidjan, Ivory Coast. jcn5@cdc.gov
Kestens
L
L
Ghys
P D
PD
Koblavi-Dème
S
S
Otten
R A
RA
Bilé
C
C
Maurice
C
C
Kalou
M
M
Laga
M
M
Wiktor
S Z
SZ
Greenberg
A E
AE
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D007560:Cote d'Ivoire / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D011477:Sex Work; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D019562:Viral Load
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral