Retrospective analysis of HHV-8 viremia and cellular viral load in HIV-seropositive patients receiving interleukin 2 in combination with antiretroviral therapy.
The combination of interleukin 2 (IL-2) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) represents an emerging strategy in the treatment of patients infected with HIV. Aside from its immunomodulatory role, however, IL-2 may induce replication of human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8)/Kaposi sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus. We retrospectively evaluated HHV-8 plasma viremia and cellular load, as well as anti-HHV-8 antibody titers, in sequential samples from 84 patients receiving ART alone or in combination with IL-2. At baseline, HHV-8 plasma viremia was present only in 2 HHV-8-seropositive patients in whom KS subsequently developed during or immediately after termination of IL-2 therapy. The level of viremia increased during follow-up and peaked at the time of the clinical manifestation of KS. Moreover, transient peaks of HHV-8 viremia were temporally associated with administration of IL-2. HHV-8 plasma viremia was never detected in the other 47 patients receiving IL-2 nor in 35 controls treated only with ART. Thus, IL-2 therapy seems safe in most patients infected with both HIV and HHV-8, except for those with detectable HHV-8 viremia, who may not be eligible for IL-2 treatment.
Malnati
Mauro
M
Unit of Human Virology, AIDS Immunopathogenesis Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. malnati.mauro@hsr.it
Broccolo
Francesco
F
Nozza
Silvia
S
Sarmati
Loredana
L
Ghezzi
Silvia
S
Locatelli
Giuseppe
G
Delfanti
Fanny
F
Capiluppi
Brunella
B
Careddu
Anna
A
Andreoni
Massimo
M
Monini
Paolo
P
Poli
Guido
G
Lazzarin
Adriano
A
Lusso
Paolo
P
Tambussi
Giuseppe
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2