title: Early Antiretroviral Therapy in South African Children Reduces HIV-1-Infected Cells and Cell-Associated HIV-1 RNA in Blood Mononuclear Cells.
abstract: We measured cell-associated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 DNA (CAD) and RNA (CAR) and plasma HIV-1 RNA in blood samples from 20 children in the Children with HIV Early Antiretroviral (CHER) cohort after 7-8 years of suppressive combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Children who initiated cART early (<2 months; n = 12) had lower HIV-1 CAD (median, 48 vs 216; P < .01) and CAR (median, 5 vs 436; P < .01) per million peripheral blood mononuclear cells than children who started later (≥ 2 months; n = 8). Plasma HIV-1 RNA levels were not significantly lower in early-treated children (0.5 vs 1.2 copies/mL; P = .16). Early treatment at <2 months of age reduces the number of HIV-infected cells and HIV CAR.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Virology, Department Pathology, Stellenbosch University and National Health Laboratory Service, Tygerberg, South Africa.
authors.forename: Gert U
authors.initials: GU
authors.lastname: van Zyl
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Margaret A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bedison
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Tygerberg.
authors.forename: Anita Janse
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van Rensburg
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Tygerberg Children's Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Parow, South Africa.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Laughton
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Tygerberg Children's Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Unit, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Francie Van Zijl Drive, Parow, South Africa.
authors.forename: Mark F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Cotton
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Mellors
mesh_terms: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001769:Blood / Q000821:virology*; D002648:Child; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012367:RNA, Viral
keywords: HIV-1 cell associated RNA; HIV-1 cell-associated DNA; HIV-1 single copy assay; early infant antiretroviral therapy; measures of HIV-1 persistence; transcriptionally active proviruses