Association Between Cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr Virus Viremia And Human Immunodeficiency Virus DNA Levels in the Reservoir of Kenyan Infants Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy

Jennifer A Slyker; Brandon Guthrie; Mark Pankau; Kenneth Tapia; Dalton Wamalwa; Sarah Benki-Nugent; Evelyn Ngugi; Meei-Li Huang; Irene Njuguna; Agnes Langat; Grace John-Stewart; Dara Lehman

doi:10.1093/infdis/jiaa640

Association Between Cytomegalovirus and Epstein-Barr Virus Viremia And Human Immunodeficiency Virus DNA Levels in the Reservoir of Kenyan Infants Receiving Antiretroviral Therapy

J Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 4;223(11):1923-1927. doi: 10.1093/infdis/jiaa640.

Authors

Jennifer A Slyker^{1

2}, Brandon Guthrie^{1

2}, Mark Pankau^{1

3}, Kenneth Tapia¹, Dalton Wamalwa⁴, Sarah Benki-Nugent¹, Evelyn Ngugi⁵, Meei-Li Huang⁶, Irene Njuguna^{1

2}, Agnes Langat⁵, Grace John-Stewart^{1

2

7

8}, Dara Lehman^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
² Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
³ Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁴ Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁵ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC-Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁶ Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁷ Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
⁸ Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Abstract

Identifying determinants of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) reservoir levels may inform novel viral eradication strategies. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) coinfections were assessed as predictors of HIV proviral DNA level in 26 HIV RNA-suppressed Kenyan children starting antiretroviral therapy before 7 months of age. Earlier acquisition of CMV and EBV and higher cumulative burden of systemic EBV DNA viremia were each associated with higher HIV DNA level in the reservoir after 24 months of antiretroviral therapy, independent of HIV RNA levels over time. These data suggest that delaying or containing CMV and EBV viremia may be novel strategies to limit HIV reservoir formation.

Keywords: Cytomegalovirus; Epstein-Barr virus; HIV; HIV reservoir; pediatric.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use*
Cytomegalovirus
Cytomegalovirus Infections*
DNA, Viral / genetics
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections*
HIV Infections* / drug therapy
HIV-1 / genetics
Herpesvirus 4, Human
Humans
Infant
Kenya / epidemiology
Viral Load*
Viremia*

Substances

Anti-Retroviral Agents
DNA, Viral

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding