Viral dynamics of primary HIV-1 infection in Senegal, West Africa.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have addressed primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 infection in sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic is of a predominantly heterosexual character and is caused by different subtypes. The present study examines the dynamics of viral replication in subjects infected with various HIV-1 subtypes.


METHODS
Seven hundred fifty-two HIV-negative Senegalese women at high risk for infection were monitored every 3 months for acute/early HIV infection; 26 infections were identified (23 HIV-1 and 3 HIV-2), with an HIV-1 incidence rate of 3.23 cases/person-years observation. Multiple viral-load measurements were taken for all seroconverters.


RESULTS
The mean+/-standard deviation viral load for all subjects during the early stage of infection was 4.13+/-0.66 log10 copies/mL, with an overall decrease of 0.22 log10 copies/mL after the early stage; the viral set point was reached after 12 months of infection. Most subjects had relatively low viral loads during the early stage of infection. HIV-1 CRF02_AG-infected women had a significantly higher mean viral load during the early stage of infection (mean +/- SD, 4.45+/-0.60 log(10) copies/mL) than did non-HIV-1 CRF02_AG-infected women (mean+/-SD, 3.78+/-0.46 log(10) copies/mL) (P=.008). None of the subjects reported symptoms consistent with primary HIV-1 infection.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings in Senegalese women differ from what have been described for primary HIV-1 infection. Further investigations of primary infections with non-B subtypes are warranted, to better characterize their differences with primary infections with subtype B.
Sarr
Abdoulaye Dieng
AD
Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard AIDS Institute, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Eisen
Geoffrey
G
Guèye-Ndiaye
Aissatou
A
Mullins
Christopher
C
Traoré
Ibrahima
I
Dia
Mamadou Ciré
MC
Sankalé
Jean-Louis
JL
Faye
Diegane
D
Mboup
Souleymane
S
Kanki
Phyllis
P
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000821:virology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015483:HIV Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D010802:Phylogeny; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D011477:Sex Work; D019562:Viral Load
D015483:HIV Antibodies