IMMUNOLOGICAL COMPARISON OF HIV-1REACTIVE, HIV-2REACTIVE AND DUALLY-REACTIVE WOMEN DELIVERING IN ABIDJAN, COTE-DIVOIRE

Objectives: To compare the basic immunological changes induced by HIV-1 and HIV-2 infection and to assess the immune status of subjects serologically reactive to both HIV-1 and HIV-2 (dually-reactive). Design: Immune parameters were studied cross-sectionally in women delivering in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire, West Africa, where HIV-1 and HIV-2 are endemic. In this area, a significant number of sera from infected individuals are reactive to both HIV-1 and HIV-2. Subjects and methods: Two hundred and twenty-eight women delivering in a major maternity clinic were screened for HIV-1 and HIV-2 using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Seropositivity was confirmed by Western blot. The immune parameters studied were CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocyte subsets, immunoglobulin (Ig) serum levels, neopterin and beta-2-microglobulin (beta-2M) serum levels. Results: Similar but less pronounced immune changes were present in HIV-2-reactive subjects compared with HIV-1- and dually-reactive subjects. The observed differences between the HIV-seropositive groups could not be explained by differences in age or disease stage but paralleled differences in the frequency of persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL). The intermediate immune profile of HIV-2-reactives (between seronegatives and HIV-1- and dually-reactives) was most clearly reflected by the number of CD8 + lymphocytes, the CD4 : CD8 ratio and the IgG serum level. Median neopterin and beta-2M levels, though significantly increased in all HIV-seropositive groups, did not differ significantly between HIV-2-, HIV-1- and dually-reactives. Conclusions: HIV-2 infection is associated with typical HIV-related immunological changes. Immunologically, dually-reactives resemble HIV-1-reactives more closely than HIV-2-reactive subjects.