Viral Dynamics of Primary HIV-1 Infection in Senegal, West Africa

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 191; no. 9; pp. 1460 - 1467
• Main Authors: Sarr, Abdoulaye Dieng, Eisen, Geoffrey, Guèye-Ndiaye, Aïssatou, Mullins, Christopher, Traoré, Ibrahima, Dia, Mamadou Ciré, Sankalé, Jean-Louis, Faye, Diegane, Mboup, Souleymane, Kanki, Phyllis
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01-05-2005; University of Chicago Press; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - blood; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - epidemiology; Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome - virology; AIDS; Antibodies; Biological and medical sciences; Cohort Studies; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; HIV; HIV 1; HIV 2; HIV Antibodies - blood; HIV infections; HIV-1 - classification; HIV-1 - isolation & purification; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Human immunodeficiency virus 2; Human viral diseases; Humans; Incidence; Infections; Infectious diseases; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Miscellaneous; Phylogeny; RNA; Senegal - epidemiology; Sex Work; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral Load; Virology; Viruses; Senegal; West Africa; Africa; Virus; Infection; Immunopathology; Microbiology; HIV-1 virus; Primary infection; Viral disease; Retroviridae; AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1086/429409

BackgroundFew studies have addressed primary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 infection in sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic is of a predominantly heterosexual character and is caused by different subtypes. The present study examines the dynamics of viral replication in subjects infected with various HIV-1 subtypes MethodsSeven hundred fifty-two HIV-negative Senegalese women at high risk for infection were monitored every 3 months for acute/early HIV infection; 26 infections were identified (23 HIV-1 and 3 HIV-2), with an HIV-1 incidence rate of 3.23 cases/person-years observation. Multiple viral-load measurements were taken for all seroconverters ResultsThe mean ± standard deviation viral load for all subjects during the early stage of infection was 4.13±0.66 log10 copies/mL, with an overall decrease of 0.22 log10 copies/mL after the early stage; the viral set point was reached after 12 months of infection. Most subjects had relatively low viral loads during the early stage of infection. HIV-1 CRF02_AG–infected women had a significantly higher mean viral load during the early stage of infection (mean ± SD, 4.45±0.60 log10 copies/mL) than did non–HIV-1 CRF02_AG–infected women (mean ± SD, 3.78±0.46 log10 copies/mL) (P=.008). None of the subjects reported symptoms consistent with primary HIV-1 infection ConclusionOur findings in Senegalese women differ from what have been described for primary HIV-1 infection. Further investigations of primary infections with non-B subtypes are warranted, to better characterize their differences with primary infections with subtype B