Relationship between human T lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type 1/2 viral burden and clinical and treatment parameters among patients with HIV type 1 and HTLV-1/2 coinfection.
BACKGROUND
Human T lymphotropic virus types 1 (HTLV-1) and 2 (HTLV-2) are frequent copathogens among individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The long-term effects of coinfection are unknown, and little information exists regarding how levels of HTLV-1/2 viral burden are affected by antiretroviral medications.


METHODS
Factors associated with HTLV-1/2 viral burden were examined in patients with HIV-HTLV-1/2 coinfection. A total of 72 subjects were evaluated. The variables analyzed included HTLV-1/2 proviral load, HTLV-1/2 tax/rex mRNA expression, HIV load, HTLV-1/2 viral antigen detection in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) cultures, T cell subsets, demographic variables (age, race, sex, and reported use of injection drugs), and administration of highly active antiretroviral therapy.


RESULTS
An HTLV-1/2 proviral DNA copy number >20,000 copies/10(6) PBMCs was significantly associated with the following variables: (1) a positive HTLV-1 Western blot test result, (2) a positive HTLV-1/2 PBMC culture result, (3) a positive tax/rex mRNA result, (4) an HIV load <10,000 copies/mL, and (5) higher CD4 cell counts among subjects with HIV-HTLV-1 coinfection. There was no correlation between HTLV-1/2 proviral copy number or HTLV-1/2 tax/rex mRNA detection and administration of antiretroviral therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
HTLV-1/2 proviral burden was significantly higher among patients with HIV-HTLV-1 coinfection than among patients with HIV-HTLV-2 coinfection. Highly active antiretroviral therapy may be of limited value in controlling virus expression of HTLV-1/2 in patients with HIV-HTLV-1/2 coinfection.
Beilke
Mark A
MA
Tulane University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. mbeilke@mcw.edu
Traina-Dorge
Vicki L
VL
Sirois
Maria
M
Bhuiyan
Azad
A
Murphy
Edward L
EL
Walls
Jane M
JM
Fagan
Ryan
R
Winsor
Elsa L
EL
Kissinger
Patricia J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D004279:DNA, Viral; D005260:Female; D018628:Gene Dosage; D016355:Genes, pX; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D015491:HTLV-II Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D019562:Viral Load
D004279:DNA, Viral; D012333:RNA, Messenger