title: Diagnosis, antiretroviral therapy, and emergence of resistance to antiretroviral agents in HIV-2 infection: a review.
abstract: Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and type 2 (HIV-2) are the causative agents of AIDS. HIV-2 is prevalent at moderate to high rates in West African countries, such as Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, and Cape Verde. Diagnosis of HIV-2 is made with a positive HIV-1/HIV-2 ELISA or simple/rapid assay, followed by one or two confirmatory tests specific for HIV-2. Following CD(4)(+)T cell counts, HIV-2 viral burden and clinical signs and symptoms of immunodeficiency are beneficial in monitoring HIV-2 disease progression. Although non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are ineffective in treating HIV-2, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors can be effective in dual and triple antiretroviral regimens. Their use can decrease HIV-2 viral load, increase CD(4)(+)T cell counts and improve AIDS-related symptoms. HIV-2 resistance to various nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors, including zidovudine, lamivudine, ritonivir and indinavir, has been identified in some HIV-2 infected patients on antiretroviral therapy. The knowledge of HIV-2 peculiarities, when compared to HIV-1, is crucial to helping diagnose and guide the clinician in the choice of the initial antiretroviral regimen and for monitoring therapy success.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Diseases Discipline, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hightower
authors.forename: Esper Georges
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Kallas
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009705:Nucleosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D009705:Nucleosides; D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors