Differences in HIV-2 plasma viral load and immune activation in HIV-1 and HIV-2 dually infected persons and those infected with HIV-2 only in Abidjan, Côte D'Ivoire.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether blood plasma levels of HIV-2 RNA viral loads and immune activation markers differ between persons infected with HIV-2 only and those dually infected with HIV-1 and HIV-2.


METHODS
Between September 1996 and February 2000, we collected, analyzed and compared levels of HIV-2 RNA in plasma and immune activation markers among 52 persons infected with HIV-2 alone and 75 with confirmed dual infection. We also compared viral load and immune activation in patients who were infected with HIV-1 only and those who were dually infected.


RESULTS
When we conducted a CD4 T-cell count-stratified multivariate analysis of HIV-2 viral load, controlling for difference in CD4 T-cell counts, age and sex: at < 200 x 10 CD4 T cells/l, HIV-2 viral load was 2.0 log10 copies/ml lower in dually infected patients than in HIV-2 only patients (P < 0.0001). At CD4 T-cell counts between 200 x 10 and 500 x 10/l, HIV-2 viral load was 0.3 log10 copies/ml lower in dually infected patients (P = 0.45). However, at CD4 T-cells counts > 500 x 10/l, HIV-2 viral load was 0.9 log10 copies/ml higher in dually infected patients (P < 0.0001). Dually infected persons with undetectable HIV-2 viral loads had significantly higher median levels of CD8 T cells expressing CD38 (P < 0.001) and HLA-DR (P = 0.01) than HIV-2 only infected patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that in dual infection, the level of HIV-2 replication depends on the immune status of the patients, with HIV-1 out-replicating HIV-2 as disease progress.
Koblavi-Dème
Stéphania
S
Projet RETRO-CI, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, the Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.
Kestens
Luc
L
Hanson
Debra
D
Otten
Ronald A
RA
Borget
Marie-Yolande
MY
Bilé
Célestin
C
Wiktor
Stefan Z
SZ
Roels
Thierry H
TH
Chorba
Terence
T
Nkengasong
John N
JN
D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology
D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D012367:RNA, Viral