Epidemiologically linked transmission of HIV-1 illustrates the impact of host genetics on virological outcome.
The diversity of HIV-1 and human genetics complicates our ability to determine the impact of treatment during primary HIV-1 infection on disease outcome. Here, we show, in a small group infected with virtually identical HIV-1 strains and treated during primary HIV-1 infection, that patients expressing protective human leucocyte antigen alleles had lower viral loads following treatment discontinuation. These data suggest that genetic factors play an important role in the outcome of HIV-1 infection despite early therapy.
Streeck
Hendrik
H
Partners AIDS Research Center, Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA.
Jessen
Heiko
H
Kuecherer
Claudia
C
Li
Bin
B
Jessen
Arne B
AB
Dupke
Stephan
S
Baumgarten
Axel
A
Stahmer
Ingrid
I
van Lunzen
Jan
J
Altfeld
Marcus
M
Walker
Bruce D
BD
Allen
Todd M
TM
D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D019562:Viral Load