Politch J, Martinez A, Abbott A, Mayer K, Padian N, Seage G, O'Brien T, Horsburgh C, Anderson D; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1991 Jun 16-21; 7: 148 (abstract no. M.A.1225).

Harvard Univ., Boston MA

OBJECTIVE: Seminal white blood cells (wbc) have been implicated as vectors in the sexual transmission of HIV-1. The purpose of this study was to characterize wbc in semen from HIV-1 seropositive men, and to determine if wbc types, concentrations and/or activation status are associated with a positive HIV-1 semen culture (HIV-1+). METHODS: Semen specimens and clinical information were obtained from 96 HIV-1 seropositive men. Seminal wbc were identified and quantified by immunohistology. HIV-1 was cultured from cellular and cell-free fractions of semen on PHA-activated target cells and detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Nine semen specimens were HIV-1+ and 18 were leukocytospermic (greater than 1 x 10(6) wbc/ml). There was a higher prevalence of HIV-1 in leukocytospermic samples (Prevalence ratio=5; p less than 0.05). HIV-1+ samples had significantly higher concentrations of total wbc (7.4 vs. 1.0 x 10(6), p less than 0.05), macrophages (2.3 x 10(6) vs. 3.1 x 10(5), p less than 0.05), CD4+ lymphocytes (1.5 x 10(5) vs. 1.4 x 10(4), p less than 0.05) and activated T cells (1.1 x 10(6) vs. 5.8 x 10(4), p less than 0.05. AZT treatment was associated with a significant decrease in seminal wbc concentrations and in the prevalence of HIV-1 in semen. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: HIV-1 in semen is associated with elevated levels of CD4+ lymphocytes, macrophages and activated T cells. The sexual transmission of HIV-1 may be enhanced by the presence and/or activation of these cells in the reproductive tract.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
• HIV-1
• Humans
• Leukocytes
• Male
• Prevalence
• Semen
• Zidovudine

Other ID:

• 1122591

UI: 102182788

From Meeting Abstracts