HIV Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about HIV, including details on human immunodeficiency virus, testing, treatment, prevention, vaccines, aids.

Reconstitution of herpes simplex virus-specific T cell immunity in HIV-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Ramaswamy M, Waters A, Smith C, Hainsworth E, Hardy G, Johnson M, Ainsworth J, Phillips A, Geretti AM

Department of Virology, Royal Free Hospital and Royal Free and University College Medical School, North Middlesex University Hospital, London, UK.

Production of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific interferon- gamma by peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HSV-seropositive healthy donors and human immunodeficiency virus-infected persons was determined by use of ELISPOT. The mean +/- SD number of spot-forming cells/10(6) PBMCs was 314 +/- 74 in 11 healthy donors, 360 +/- 69 in 3 long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs), 186 +/- 52 in 9 newly diagnosed patients, and 181 +/- 59 in 33 patients who were receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for a median period of 30 months (range, 1-109 months). In 9 patients monitored prospectively while receiving virologically and immunologically successful first-line HAART, the number of spot-forming cells increased by 5.6/month (95% confidence interval, 1.2-9.9 [P=.01]) and 21.3/100 CD4 cells/mm(3) gained (95% confidence interval, 13.8-28.7 [P<.0001]). Responses were correlated with LTNP status and CD4 cell count.

Published 5 January 2007 in J Infect Dis, 195(3): 410-5.
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