A non-opportunistic, generalized giant cell disease (GCD) was found in 12 out of 25 (48%) cynomologus monkeys infected with SIVsm. Most organs were affected notably the lymph nodes (LN), spleen, gut, liver, lungs and CNS. The multinucleated GC varied considerably in cell size and in the number and cytoplasmic distribution of the nuclei. Immunohistochemically most GC expressed SIV antigens and markers of mononuclear phagocytes (CD68), CD4 and also occasionally the T-cell markers CD45RO, CD43 and CD2. Monkeys with GCD had more pronounced immunosuppression with lower CD4-cell counts, more often demonstrable SIV antigen in the blood and LN and had been infected for a longer time period, as compared to monkeys without GCD. These findings show that SIV infection in cynomolgus monkeys is frequently associated with extensive formation of multinucleated GC of macrophage origin, which appears to be related to the pathogenesis of the infection and the degree of immunosuppression.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Accessory cells and macrophages in the histopathology of SIVsm-infected cynomolgus monkeys.

Thirty-three out of 39 cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) infected with SIVsm (strain SMM-3) developed various pathologies similar to those seen in human AIDS. Lymphadenopathy was frequently seen (72%) and was characterized by hyperplasia followed by involution of follicle/germinal centres due to follicular dendritic cell (FDC) destruction corresponding to the degree of immunodeficiency. Various organs such as the lungs, liver, central nervous system, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system and adrenals showed histopathological changes with prominent monocyte/macrophage and multinucleated giant cell formation. Eighteen (54%) monkeys presented with extranodal malignant lymphoma (ML) associated with marked CD4 decrease and destruction of follicular architecture. The high frequency of ML, giant cell disease and lymph node changes seen in the present SIV model provides an attractive system to elucidate the role of FDC and monocytes/macrophages in the pathogenesis of these conditions in common with HIV infection and human AIDS.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

New human and simian HIV-related retroviruses possess functional transactivator (tat) gene.

New human retroviruses antigenically related to HIV and even more closely to STLV-III have been recently isolated from individuals from some West African countries. One of these viruses, HTLV-IVP, was reportedly isolated from lymphocytes of a healthy female prostitute. Another isolate, LAV-2FG, was obtained from an AIDS patient and third, SBL-6669, from an individual with lymphadenopathy. Current epidemiological studies indicate that some of these virus isolates cause immune deficiency whereas others may not or may be less efficient at inducing immune deficiency. Similarly, STLV-III apparently does not cause immune deficiency in its natural host, African green monkey. A novel feature of HIV is the possession of a gene termed tat, which is implicated in its pathobiology. We report here that, like HIV, HTLV-IVP, LAV-2FG (HIV-2) and SBL-6669, as well as STLV-IIIAGM possess the putative tat gene, irrespective of their pathogenic potential in vivo. Interestingly, HTLV-IVP/LAV-2FG long terminal repeat (LTR) is equally well transactivated by the HTLV-IVP/LAV-2FG and HTLV-IIIB tat function, HTLV-IIIB LTR responds better to its own tat function.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Discrimination between antibodies to HIV and to related retroviruses using site-directed serology.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) strains can be separated into two types: HIV and HIV-related West African viruses. Site-directed serology using synthetic peptides offers possibilities for the determination of type-specific antibodies. A 22-amino-acid peptide with the sequence Ala-Ile-Glu-Lys-Tyr-Leu-Glu-Asp-Gln-Ala-Gln-Leu-Asn-Ala-Trp-Cys-Ala-Phe-Arg-Gln - Val-Cys representing a conserved region of the transmembranous protein of simian T-cell lymphotropic virus-type III (STLV-III; related to West African HIV) was used as antigen in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In parallel, tests were performed with a pair of previously described peptides, including the homologous region of the glycoprotein (gp) 41 of the HIV strain HTLV-IIIB. In tests with three groups of 20 sera it was shown that the different peptide ELISAs allowed a categorical distinction of antibodies to the two types of HIV. Tests using peptide antigens may provide excellent opportunities for large-scale testing for type-specific antibodies against HIV. The tests are simple, sensitive and specific and are readily standardized.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Early case of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in a child from Zaire.

An eight-year-old child from Zaire died in Sweden in 1982 after a clinical course compatible with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In 1975, at the age of 5 months, the infant had an acute viral infection with a rash; this illness was followed by a chronic cough. During the course of the disease he had recurrent septicemia, fever (frequently with miliary lung infiltrates), disseminated lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, candidiasis, and diarrhea. Late in the illness the child developed lethal disseminated disturbances of the central nervous system. Immunologic investigations revealed a pronounced hypergammaglobulinemia, normal C3 but low C4 values, decreased number of T-lymphocytes, and decreased lymphocyte stimulation with T-cell and B-cell mitogens. Samples of serum taken in 1981 and 1982 were analyzed and found to be positive for antibodies to HTLV-III virus. The course of the disease in this child was more prolonged than most of the pediatric cases described earlier. It is likely that this child developed AIDS early in 1975, long before the AIDS epidemic was apparent in the United States.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Efficacy of inactivated whole HIV-2 vaccines with various adjuvants in cynomolgus monkeys.

Twenty-one cynomolgus monkeys were immunized with whole inactivated HIV-2 preparations administered with various adjuvants (incomplete Freund's adjuvant, Alum, Ribi, MDP, or Iscoms) and challenged with 10 or 100 MID50 of a homologous monkey-cell grown, cell-free HIV-2. Seven animals were completely protected against infection, three showed reduced virus replication. The vaccines elicited neutralizing and ADCC antibodies; the titers did not correlate with protection. Immunization with a whole inactivated vaccine can protect primates from intravenous challenge with a monkey-cell grown cell-free human immunodeficiency virus type 2.

AIDS Vaccines↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Sexually transmitted diseases and sexual behaviour as risk factors for HIV-2 infection in Bissau, Guinea Bissau.

Patients enrolled in a hospital-based case control study (n = 1009) and a follow-up study (n = 130) of HIV-2 infection in Bissau were investigated with regard to sexual behaviour and sexually transmitted diseases (STD). A history of genital ulcer was more frequent in HIV-2 infected male patients (46.4%, 13 out of 28) than in seronegative male patients (17.9%, 7 out of 39) (P = 0.05). Serological evidence of a previous syphilitic infection was significantly related to HIV-2 infection (23%, 12 out of 52, of HIV-2 seropositive patients had a positive Treponema pallidum haemagglutination test compared with 7.1%, 5 out of 70, of seronegative patients, P = 0.025) and was equally frequent in men and women. There was no significant difference in number of non-marital sexual partners and frequency of intercourse between HIV-2 seropositive and seronegative individuals. The seroprevalence of HIV-2 infection was significantly higher among patients with a monogamous marriage, 23.1% (59 out of 255) among males and 31.3% (64 out of 204) among females, than among patients with an officially polygamous marriage, 10.3% (8 out of 77) among males and 11.8% (7 out of 59) among females (P = 0.025 for males and 0.005 for females). Infection-control measures directed at patients with STD should be promoted in Guinea-Bissau. Further research on sexual behaviour and attitudes is needed.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prevalence and incidence of syphilis and its association with HIV-1 infection in a population-based study in the Kagera region of Tanzania.

Population-based prevalence and incidence studies on HIV-1 infection were started in the Kagera region of Tanzania in 1987. The prevalence and incidence of infection with Treponema pallidum was studied to enable development of better strategies for STD control. Serological diagnosis of a past or treated infection with Troponema pallidum was made by seropositivity only to TPHA testing while active syphilis was diagnosed by seropositivity to both VDRL and TPHA tests. Seroconversion was measured in 1989 by finding TPHA serologically positive individuals during the follow-up period among the initially seronegative study population of 1987. The overall prevalence of active syphilis in the total sample of adults in the region was found to be 5.9% while that of past syphilis was 13.5%. The association between the prevalence of HIV-1 infection and syphilis of both types was found to be highly significant. However, the association between one pre-existing infection and seroconversion in the other was present but not statistically significant. The overall incidence of syphilis based on seroconversion in a cohort of adults in the region was found to be 11.6 per 1000 person-years at risk. In view of these findings, syphilis is a significant health problem in the region with a high level of transmission and efforts should be made to control it. Intervention studies should use these base-line data and monitor changes in syphilis incidence which may indicate changes in sexual behaviour. Such indicators could also be useful for evaluating the impact of interventions directed at reducing the transmission of HIV, syphilis and other STDs in the region.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Response to podophyllotoxin treatment of genital warts in relation to HIV-1 infection among patients in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Forty-two Tanzanian patients with genital warts were treated with 0.5% podophyllotoxin solution (Wartec) for 3 days. Thirteen patients (30.9%) were cured and a further 7 patients (16.7%) had more than 50% of lesions cleared at 6 weeks, while 19 patients were resistant to treatment. Three patients had a recurrence of lesions after an initial response. Thirty-three patients were tested for serological evidence of infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and 15 (45.5%) patients were shown to be HIV-1 antibody positive. The response to treatment was analysed in relation to HIV antibody status. The cure rate was significantly higher in HIV seronegative patients (8/18 = 44.4%) compared to HIV seropositive patients (1/15 = 6.7%) (P = 0.018). We conclude that podophyllotoxin treatment provides a useful non-hospital based treatment for genital warts, but HIV infection appears to contribute to the failure of treatment for genital warts.

Adolescent↗