title: Control of human cytomegalovirus infection in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus by high levels of specific CD8+ T-cells.
abstract: A new technique was used to simultaneously determine human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cells in highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART)-naive and HAART-treated patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV-infected patients with HCMV infection, but without HCMV disease, showed low numbers of HCMV-specific CD4(+) cells and high numbers of CD8(+) T-cells, both before and during HAART. HIV-infected patients with HCMV disease had no HCMV-specific CD4(+) T-cells and extremely low levels of CD8(+) T-cells. Resolution of disease during HAART was associated with rescue of specific CD4(+) T-cells and a large increase in the specific CD8(+) T-cell count. Thus, HAART does not completely restore the normal immune function. In HIV-infected patients, sustained control of HCMV infection requires high frequencies of specific CD8(+) T-cells.
authors.affiliation: Servizio di Virologia, Area Biotecnologie, IRCCS Policlinio San Matteo, Pavia, Italy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lilleri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chiesa
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fornara
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maserati
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lozza
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comolli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gerna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology*; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006678:HIV; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008875:Middle Aged; D013045:Species Specificity; D016896:Treatment Outcome