Differences in HIV Type 1 Neutralization Breadth in 2 Geographically Distinct Cohorts in Africa

• Published in: The Journal of infectious diseases Vol. 211; no. 9; pp. 1461 - 1466
• Main Authors: Bandawe, Gama P., Moore, Penny L., Werner, Lise, Gray, Elin S., Sheward, Daniel J., Madiga, Maphuti, Nofemela, Andile, Thebus, Ruwayhida, Marais, Jinny C., Maboko, Leonard, Karim, Salim S. Abdool, Hoelscher, Michael, Morris, Lynn, Williamson, Carolyn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Oxford University Press 01.05.2015
• Subjects: Antibodies, Neutralizing - blood; Cohort Studies; Female; HIV Antibodies - blood; HIV Infections - blood; HIV Infections - epidemiology; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1 - classification; HIV-1 - immunology; HIV/AIDS; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human immunodeficiency virus 1; Human immunodeficiency virus 2; Humans; Major and Brief Reports; South Africa - epidemiology; Tanzania - epidemiology; Viral Load; South Africa; Tanzania; viral load; HIV genetic subtypes; broadly neutralizing antibodies; cohorts; Africa
• ISSN: 0022-1899; 1537-6613; 1537-6613
• DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiu633

To investigate whether distinct populations have differing human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) neutralizing antibody responses, we compared 20 women from Tanzania's HIV Superinfection Study (HISIS) cohort, who were infected multiple HIV subtypes, and 22 women from the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA) cohort, who were infected exclusively with HIV subtype C. By 2 years after infection, 35% of HISIS subjects developed neutralization breadth, compared with 9% of CAPRISA subjects (P = .0131). Cumulative viral loads between 3 and 12 months were higher in the HISIS group (P = .046) and strongly associated with breadth (P<.0001). While viral load was the strongest predictor, other factors may play a role, as the odds of developing breadth remained higher in HISIS even after correction for viral load.