Infection with multiple human immunodeficiency virus type 1 variants is associated with faster disease progression

J Virol. 2003 Dec;77(23):12921-6. doi: 10.1128/jvi.77.23.12921-12926.2003.

Abstract

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals develop a genetically diverse virus population over time, but often only a limited number of viral variants are transmitted from a chronic carrier to a newly infected person. Interestingly, many women but few men are infected by multiple HIV-1 variants from a single partner. To determine whether the complexity of the infecting virus population influences clinical outcome, we examined viral diversity in the HIV-1 envelope sequences present at primary infection in 156 women from Kenya for whom we had follow-up data on viral RNA levels and CD4 T-cell counts. Eighty-nine women had multiple viral genotypes, while 67 women had a single genotype at primary infection. Women who acquired multiple viral genotypes had a significantly higher viral load (median, 4.84 versus 4.64 log(10) copies/ml, P = 0.04) and a significantly lower CD4(+)-T-cell count (median, 416 versus 617 cells/mm(3), P = 0.01) 4 to 24 months after infection compared to women who were infected with a single viral genotype. These studies suggest that early HIV-1 genetic diversity is linked to faster disease progression.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Base Sequence
  • DNA Primers
  • Disease Progression
  • Genotype
  • HIV Infections / physiopathology
  • HIV Infections / virology*
  • HIV-1 / classification*
  • HIV-1 / genetics
  • HIV-1 / pathogenicity
  • Humans
  • Species Specificity
  • Viral Load

Substances

  • DNA Primers