title: [Evaluation of the cellular immunity in patients coinfected by the hepatitis C virus and the human immunodeficiency virus].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The immune activation provoked by the hepatitis C virus can be deleterious in patients with human immunodeficiency virus, favouring the destruction of CD4 cells. By the other side, the immune restoration observed after the onset of antiretroviral therapy can be partially obscured in patients with the hepatitis C virus.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of coinfection by hepatitis C virus and the human immunodeficiency virus in the cellular immunity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of patients were considered: coinfected patients were prospectively evaluated in the gastroenterology clinic at "Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição", Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil (group 1 - 385 patients), and monoinfected patients by human immunodeficiency virus based on the review of the charts from the infectious diseases clinic (group 2 - 198 patients). Demographic (gender, race, age) CD4 and CD8 cell count, CD4/CD8 index and human immunodeficiency virus viral load were evaluated. A 5% significance level was adopted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no difference between the parameters evaluated: mean CD4 count (374,7 +/- 215,7 x 357,5 +/- 266,0), CD8 (1.512,4 +/- 7.274,6 x 986,7 +/- 436,4) and HIV viral load (83.744,2 +/- 190.292,0 x 104.464,0 +/- 486.880,5) respectively in both groups evaluated, as well as the proportion of patients with CD4/CD8 rate below 1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Coinfection by both viruses did not have a negative impact in relation to monoinfection by human immunodeficiency virus, and the immune profile was similar in all groups.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Nossa Senhora da Conceição, Porto Alegre, RS. cris.tovo@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Cristiane Valle
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Tovo
authors.forename: Diogo Edele
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.forename: Angelo Zambam de
authors.initials: AZ
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.forename: Angelo Alves de
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Mattos
authors.forename: Breno Riegel
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Galperim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load