Experimental infection with Haemophilus ducreyi in persons who are infected with HIV does not cause local or augment systemic viral replication.
We infected 11 HIV-seropositive volunteers whose CD4(+) cell counts were >350 cells/ microL (7 of whom were receiving antiretrovirals) with Haemophilus ducreyi. The papule and pustule formation rates were similar to those observed in HIV-seronegative historical control subjects. No subject experienced a sustained change in CD4(+) cell count or HIV RNA level. The cellular infiltrate in biopsy samples obtained from the HIV-seropositive and HIV-seronegative subjects did not differ with respect to the percentage of leukocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, or T cells. The CD4(+):CD8(+) cell ratio in biopsy samples from the HIV-seropositive subjects was 1:3, the inverse of the ratio seen in the HIV-seronegative subjects (P<.0001). Although CD4(+) cells proliferated in lesions, in situ hybridization and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for HIV RNA was negative. We conclude that experimental infection in HIV-seropositive persons is clinically similar to infection in HIV-seronegative persons and does not cause local or augment systemic viral replication. Thus, prompt treatment of chancroid may abrogate increases in viral replication associated with natural disease.
Janowicz
Diane M
DM
Department of Medicine, Indiana University, School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. dmjanowi@iupui.edu
Tenner-Racz
Klara
K
Racz
Paul
P
Humphreys
Tricia L
TL
Schnizlein-Bick
Carol
C
Fortney
Kate R
KR
Zwickl
Beth
B
Katz
Barry P
BP
Campbell
James J
JJ
Ho
David D
DD
Spinola
Stanley M
SM
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002602:Chancroid / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006191:Haemophilus ducreyi / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication
D012367:RNA, Viral