title: Immune recovery in HIV with Mycobacterium W.
abstract: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with decreased immunity.  There is depletion of CD4 cells.  The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of mycobacterium w on CD4 cell count in HIV + ve patients.  A total of fifty patients were randomly assigned to one of the three treatment groups: (A) Mycobacterium w alone (n=17) (B) mycobacterium w plus two antiretroviral agents (n=16) (C) Mycobacterium w plus HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy; (n=17).  Mycobacterium w was administered intradermally at the dose of 0.1 ml in both deltoid region (first dose).  The subsequent four doses of mycobacterium w were 0.1 intradermal in the deltoid region of one arm at monthly intervals.  CD4 cell count in all the HIV + ve patients was measured at baseline and after five months period.  CD4 counts was increased by 108.96%, compared to baseline, in the patients receiving both mycobacterium w and HAART, suggesting a synergistic action.  However, significant increase (80.22% compared to baseline)was also seen in patients receiving mycobacterium w along, suggesting that myobacterium w was an effective immune response enhancer.  Mycobacterium w was well tolerated by all patients.
authors.forename: Rajendra
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kharkar
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; C080550:Mycobacterium w vaccine