title: Retrospective analysis of HHV-8 viremia and cellular viral load in HIV-seropositive patients receiving interleukin 2 in combination with antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Human Virology, AIDS Immunopathogenesis Unit, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy. malnati.mauro@hsr.it
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malnati
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Broccolo
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nozza
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sarmati
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghezzi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: Fanny
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Delfanti
authors.forename: Brunella
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Capiluppi
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Careddu
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andreoni
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monini
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lazzarin
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lusso
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tambussi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2