Presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus–1–Specific CD4 and CD8 Cellular Immune Responses in Children with Full or Partial Virus Suppression

Abstract

The present study assessed antiviral T cell immune responses in 48 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected children with a stable or decreasing CD4⁺ T cell counts and different levels of viral control, in the presence or absence of antiretroviral therapy. Children with full (+ T cell activity, although higher in treated children with a lack of virus suppression, were not significantly different between the groups. Although levels of anti-HIV CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cell responses were not associated, these levels of responses were associated with the percentage of specific T cell subsets. Overall, a history of stable CD4⁺ T cell counts, as a result of therapy that imparted full or partial virus suppression, was associated with increased levels of anti-HIV CD4⁺ T helper responses and decreased T cell activation