Spontaneous HCV clearance in HCV/HIV-1 coinfection associated with normalized CD4 counts, low level of chronic immune activation and high level of T cell function.
OBJECTIVE
Spontaneous HCV clearance in HCV/HIV-1 coinfected patients is likely to be very rare given the damage to the immune system caused by HIV-1 infection. The search for immune correlates of spontaneous clearance is important for the understanding of pathogenesis as well as for the development of possible new treatment strategies.


RESULTS
A cohort of HCV/HIV-1 coinfected patients was followed. Plasma HCV viral load was measured and T cell immunity in peripheral blood samples was assessed using multi-color flow cytometry. One HCV/HIV-1 coinfected patient spontaneously became HCV-RNA negative after being positive for several years. This patient displayed a normalized CD4 counts on successful HAART, low level of T cell activation and a high level of T cell function as compared to HCV/HIV-1 coinfected control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
A beneficial immune status including a low level of chronic T cell activation and a high level of T cell function may be one factor that contributes to improved chances of clearance of chronic HCV infection in HIV-1 infected patients.
Falconer
Karolin
K
Karolinska Institutet, Department of Medicine Solna, Infectious Diseases Unit, SE-17176 Stockholm, Sweden.
Gonzalez
Veronica D
VD
Reichard
Olle
O
Sandberg
Johan K
JK
Alaeus
Annette
A
D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D019698:Hepatitis C, Chronic / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*