title: Frequency of long-term nonprogressors in HIV-1 seroconverters From Rakai Uganda.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Studies on long-term nonprogressors (LTNP) have been conducted in the USA and Europe. This study examined the frequency of LTNPs and HIV controllers among 637 HIV-1 seroconverters in rural Uganda.
  
  
  METHODS
  LTNPs were defined as being infected for more than 7 years with a CD4 T-cell count above 600 cells per microliter, and HIV controllers as having undetectable viral loads on 3 separate occasions without antiretroviral treatment. HIV-1 viral load and subtype distribution between LTNP and non-LTNP populations were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the HIV seroconverters, 9.1% (58/637) were LTNPs and 1.4% (9/637) were HIV controllers. LTNPs had a significantly lower viral load at set point than non-LTNP participants (P < 0.001). The Kaplan-Meier joint probability of surviving to 7 years with a CD4 count >600 was 19.2%. Individuals who survived 7 years had a significantly higher frequency of HIV-1 subtype A (P < 0.05), but seroconverters infected with HIV-1A did not have a significantly higher probability of becoming an LTNP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The frequency of LTNPs appears to be relatively high in Uganda and it may be important to take this into account when designing studies of viral pathogenesis and performing HIV vaccine trials in sub-Saharan Africa.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Laeyendecker
authors.forename: Andrew D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Redd
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lutalo
authors.forename: Ronald H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wawer
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ssempijja
authors.forename: Jordyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gamiel
authors.forename: John Baptist
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Bwanika
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Makumbi
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nalugoda
authors.forename: Pius
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Opendi
authors.forename: Godfrey
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kigozi
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ndyanabo
authors.forename: Boaz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Iga
authors.forename: Noah
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kiwanuka
authors.forename: Nelson
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sewankambo
authors.forename: Steven J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Serwadda
authors.forename: Thomas C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000145:classification / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult