Andreoni M, Sarmati L, Parisi SG, Ercoli L, Volpi A, Licordari R, Capecchi A, Rocchi G; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24; 8: B191 (abstract no. PoB 3600).

University of Rome Tor Vergata, Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To identify a better marker of HIV disease progression we have studied the correlation between HIV plasma and cellular viremia, number of CD4+ lymphocytes and p24 antigen level in a group of HIV seropositive subjects. METHODS: We studied 24 HIV seropositive subjects (8 asymptomatic, 8 ARC, and 8 AIDS). HIV plasma and cellular viremia titrations were performed in 48 wells and in 24 wells plates respectively. A mixture of lymphocytes (PBMC), obtained from several healthy donors, and cell of H9-line were used as target of HIV infection. HIV plasma and cellular viremia titers were expressed as TCID 50 (Karber method), and as ID 50 (Reed and Muench method), respectively. RESULTS: The mean of CD4+ lymphocytes was 420.8 (d.s. +/- 158.9) in asymptomatic subjects, 206.3 (d.s. +/- 50.7) in ARC and 118.3 (d.s. +/- 76.4) in AIDS patients. Blood levels of p24 antigen were detectable in 2/8 asymptomatic subjects, in 3/8 ARC and in 4/8 AIDS patients. HIV plasma titers were obtained in 16 (66%) from 24 subjects: plasma cultures were positive in 4/8 asymptomatic subjects, 4/8 ARC patients, and in 7/8 AIDS patients. HIV was isolated from cocultures of PBMC of 22/24 subjects, PBMC from 2 asymptomatic individuals failed to produce virus. HIV plasma titers were higher among AIDS patients, the median TCID 50/ml being 10(0.57) (range 10(0.25)-10(2.50)) compared to 10(0.25) (range 10(0.25)-10(2)) among asymptomatic subjects, and to 10(0.25) (range 10(0.25)-10(1.25) among ARC patients. Cellular viremia titers were also higher among AIDS patients, the median ID 50 being 5 x 10(3) PBMC (range 4.9 x 10(4)-5 x 10(2)) compared to 3.6 x 10(4) PBMC (range 4.9 x 10(5)-5 x 10(3)) among asymptomatic subjects, and to 1.3 x 10(4) PBMC (range 4.9 x 10(5)-5 x 10(2)) among ARC patients. CONCLUSION: The frequency of HIV plasma positive cultures ranged from 50% to 98% and was well correlate with clinical status and with a CD4+ cells count less than 300/mmc (p less than 0.02 Student's t test). In contrast HIV could be isolated from a vast majority of cell samples also in asymptomatic subjects.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• AIDS Vaccines
• AIDS-Related Complex
• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Anti-HIV Agents
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
• HIV
• HIV Antibodies
• HIV Antigens
• HIV Core Protein p24
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• HIV-1
• Humans
• Plasma
• Viremia
• blood
• immunology

Other ID:

• 92401330

UI: 102199043

From Meeting Abstracts