<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/b><\/p>\n
WEDNESDAY, Jan. 8, 2020 (HealthDay News) — HIV-infected patients lose immunity to smallpox despite childhood vaccination and immune reconstitution with antiretroviral therapy, according to a study published online Dec. 23 in The Journal of Infectious Diseases<\/i>.<\/p>\n
Archana Thomas, from the Oregon Health & Science University in Beaverton, and colleagues conducted a matched cohort study involving 50 pairs of HIV+ and HIV\u2212 women. To measure T cells elicited after childhood smallpox vaccination, total memory T cell responses were measured after anti-CD3 stimulation or after vaccinia virus stimulation. Vaccinia-specific antibodies were measured.<\/p>\n
The researchers found that after anti-CD3 stimulation, there was no difference between HIV+ and HIV\u2212 individuals in terms of CD4+ responses, although significantly higher T cell responses were seen among HIV+ individuals. In contrast, among HIV+ individuals, there was a significant loss in vaccinia-specific CD4+ T cell memory, while antiviral CD8+ T cell memory remained intact. Among HIV\u2212 individuals, vaccinia-specific antibodies were maintained indefinitely (half-life, infinity), but among HIV+ individuals, they declined rapidly (half-life, 39 years).<\/p>\n
“These data suggest that despite successful use of antiretroviral therapy, HIV infection is associated with a significant loss in virus-specific CD4+ T cell memory and antiviral antibody responses that may leave a sizeable proportion of HIV+ people at increased risk for virus-associated disease manifestations,” the authors write.<\/p>\n
Abstract\/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)<\/a><\/p>\n <\/i><\/p>\n