title: Antiretroviral therapy in HIV-2-infected patients: changes in plasma viral load, CD4+ cell counts, and drug resistance profiles of patients treated in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe changes in plasma viral load, CD4+ cell counts, and drug resistance profiles of HIV-2-infected patients receiving antiretroviral (ARV) therapy in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive blood samples were collected from 18 HIV-2-infected ARV-naive patients who had received ARV therapy in the UNAIDS drug access initiative (UNAIDS-DAI) in Abidjan between August 1998 and July 2000. Changes in HIV-2 plasma viral load, CD4+ cell counts, and genotypic and phenotypic drug resistance testing were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, 11 (61%) of the 18 patients initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and seven (39%) received dual therapy. No significant change in median viral load was observed at 2 months (P = 0.09), at 6 months (P = 0.06), and at 12 months of therapy (P = 0.26). No significant increase in CD4+ cell counts was observed at 12 months (P = 0.10). All four patients on indinavir-containing HAART had undetectable viral loads at 2-4 months of therapy. However, none of seven patients on nelfinavir-containing HAART had a substantial decrease in viral load. Viruses from 14 patients were analyzed, 12 of which (86%) had at least one primary resistance mutation that is known to confer resistance to HIV-1 virus. Three patients had the multi-drug-resistant mutation, Q151M, two of whom showed reduced susceptibility to zidovudine, didanosine, stavudine and zalcitabine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our limited findings show that nelfinavir-containing regimens may have limited virologic benefit to HIV-2-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: Projet RETRO-CI, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.
authors.forename: Christiane A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Adjé-Touré
authors.forename: Rachanee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cheingsong
authors.forename: J Gerardo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Garcìa-Lerma
authors.forename: Serge
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eholié
authors.forename: Marie-Yolande
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Borget
authors.forename: Jean-Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bouchez
authors.forename: Ron A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Otten
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Maurice
authors.forename: Madeleine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sassan-Morokro
authors.forename: René E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Ekpini
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nolan
authors.forename: Terence
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chorba
authors.forename: Walid
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Heneine
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Nkengasong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D024921:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D019469:Indinavir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D019888:Nelfinavir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010349:Patient Compliance; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D019469:Indinavir; D019888:Nelfinavir