HIV-2-infected individuals with undetectable plasma viremia carry replication-competent virus in peripheral blood lymphocytes.
Using an optimized HIV co-culture protocol it was possible to isolate infectious HIV-2 variants from 6 HIV-2-infected individuals who had undetectable plasma viremia and maintained high CD4 T-cell numbers for prolonged periods. This shows for the first time that HIV-2-infected individuals with no demonstrable in vivo virus production carry replication-competent virus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The frequency of PBMCs with infectious virus was low, ranging from 0.01-0.9 infectious units per million (IUPM) CD4 T cells with a median value of 0.2 IUPM. In comparison, viremic HIV-2-infected individuals had a 2-log higher median infectious load (36 IUPM, range 1-673; P = 0.003). HIV-2 infectious load correlated with CD4 counts (rs = -0.88, P < 0.0001). The low infectious load in aviremic HIV-2-infected persons is reminiscent of what has been observed for HIV-1 infection controlled by highly active antiretroviral therapy.
Blaak
Hetty
H
Department of Virology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. h.blaak@erasmusmc.nl
Boers
Patrick H M
PH
Schutten
Martin
M
van der Endeñ
Marchina E
ME
Osterhaus
Albert D M E
AD
D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D020276:HIV Long-Term Survivors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000821:virology*; D009426:Netherlands; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D014766:Viremia / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D012367:RNA, Viral