Publications by authors named "Leonardo Lourtau"
Background: Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte (CTL) response drives the evolution of HIV-1 at a host-level by selecting HLA-restricted escape mutations. Dissecting the dynamics of these escape mutations at a population-level would help to understand how HLA-mediated selection drives the evolution of HIV-1.
Methodology/principal Findings: We undertook a study of the dynamics of HIV-1 CTL-escape mutations by analyzing through statistical approaches and phylogenetic methods the viral gene gag sequenced in plasma samples collected between the years 1987 and 2006 from 302 drug-naïve HIV-positive patients.
To perform a diversity surveillance study we characterized viral subtypes among newly diagnosed individuals in Buenos Aires city. Plasma samples were collected from 322 drug-naive newly diagnosed HIV-1 individuals attending two voluntary counseling and testing centers. Sequences of pol and vpu genes were obtained from 283 samples and viral subtype was characterized by Neighbor-joining trees and Bootscanning analysis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To compare rates of AIDS-defining and non-AIDS-defining malignancies between patients on a CD4 T-cell-guided antiretroviral therapy (ART) strategy and continuous ART.
Design: A randomized clinical trial.
Methods: Malignancy rates were compared between the drug conservation arm in which ART was stopped if the CD4 T-cell count exceeded 350 cells/microl and (re)started if it fell to less than 250 cells/microl and the viral suppression arm utilizing continuous ART.
Objective: Our objective was to estimate primary resistance in an urban setting in a developing country with a long history of antiretroviral delivery and high coverage levels.
Design: We carried out a resistance surveillance study according to WHO HIV-Resistance Guidelines.
Methods: Blood samples were collected from 323 drug-naive HIV-1 infected individuals diagnosed at two HIV voluntary counselling and testing centers in Buenos Aires.