Cerebrospinal fluid viral load and intrathecal immune activation in individuals infected with different HIV-1 genetic subtypes.
BACKGROUND
HIV-1 exhibits a high degree of genetic diversity and is presently divided into 3 distinct HIV-1 genetic groups designated major (M), non-M/non-O (N) and outlier (O). Group M, which currently comprises 9 subtypes (A-D, F-H, J and K), at least 34 circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) and several unique recombinant forms (URFs) is responsible for most of the HIV-1 epidemic. Most of the current knowledge of HIV-1 central nervous system (CNS) infection is based on subtype B. However, subtypes other than subtype B account for the majority of global HIV-1 infections. Therefore, we investigated whether subtypes have any influence on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers of HIV-1 CNS infection.


RESULTS
CSF HIV-1 RNA, CSF neopterin and CSF white blood cell (WBC) count were measured in patients infected with different HIV-1 subtypes. Using multivariate regression analysis, no differences in the CSF WBC count, neopterin and viral load were found between various HIV-1 subtypes.


CONCLUSIONS
We did not find any subtype-dependent differences in the markers evaluated in this study.
Abdulle
Sahra
S
Department of Infectious Diseases, The Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. sahra.abdulle@infect.gu.se
Hagberg
Lars
L
Svennerholm
Bo
B
Fuchs
Dietmar
D
Gisslén
Magnus
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000821:virology*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019798:Neopterin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D012044:Regression Analysis
D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D019798:Neopterin