Deciphering the Role of Mucosal Immune Responses and the Cervicovaginal Microbiome in Resistance to HIV Infection in HIV-Exposed Seronegative (HESN) Women.

The female genital tract (FGT) is an important site of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Discerning the nature of HIV-specific local immune responses is crucial for identifying correlates of protection in HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) individuals. The present study involved a comprehensive analysis of soluble immune mediators, secretory immunoglobulins (sIg), natural killer (NK) cells, CXCR5 CD8 T cells, T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, and T regulatory cells (Tregs) in the vaginal mucosa as well as the nature and composition of the cervicovaginal microbiome in HESN women.

Elevated Numbers of HIV-Specific Poly-Functional CD8 T Cells With Stem Cell-Like and Follicular Homing Phenotypes in HIV-Exposed Seronegative Individuals.

HIV-specific CD8 T cells are known to play a key role in viral control during acute and chronic HIV infection. Although many studies have demonstrated the importance of HIV-specific CD8 T cells in viral control, its correlation with protection against HIV infection remains incompletely understood. To better understand the nature of the immune response that contributes to the early control of HIV infection, we analyzed the phenotype, distribution and function of anti-viral CD8 T cells in a cohort of HIV-exposed seronegative (HESN) women, and compared them with healthy controls and HIV-infected individuals.

Brief Report: The Anti-HIV-1 ADCC-Mediating Antibodies From Cervicovaginal Secretions of HIV-Infected Women Have an Ability to Mediate Lysing of Autologous CD4+ HIV-Infected Cells.

Background: Fragment crystallizable region of antibody-mediated mechanism such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) has been identified as an important component of immune protection against HIV. We assessed whether the anti-HIV antibodies mediating ADCC from cervicovaginal lavages (CVLs) of HIV-infected women have an ability to mediate lysing of autologous CD4 HIV-infected cells.

Methodology: The CVLs of 62 HIV-infected (37 long-term slow progressors and 25 with progressive HIV infection: progressors) and 20 HIV-uninfected Indian women with high risk of HIV acquisition were tested for the presence of ADCC-mediating anti-HIV antibodies against HIV-1 C Env in a fluorometric assay.

Broad neutralization response in a subset of HIV-1 subtype C-infected viraemic non-progressors from southern India.

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) have been considered to be potent therapeutic tools and potential vaccine candidates to enable protection against various clades of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The generation of bnAbs has been associated with enhanced exposure to antigen, high viral load and low CD4+ T cell counts, among other factors. However, only limited data are available on the generation of bnAbs in viraemic non-progressors that demonstrate moderate to high viraemia.

Anemia, diet and therapeutic iron among children living with HIV: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Children living with HIV have higher-than-normal prevalence of anemia. The beneficial effect of therapeutic iron has been questioned in the setting of high prevalence of infections. This study examines anemia prevalence and effect of standard therapeutic iron on HIV disease progression among children.

Virological efficacy with first-line antiretroviral treatment in India: predictors of viral failure and evidence of viral resuppression.

Objective: Combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved in efficacy, durability and tolerability. Virological efficacy studies in India are limited. We determined incidence and predictors of virological failure among patients initiating first-line ART and described virological resuppression after confirmed failure, with the goal of informing national policy.

High proportion of isosporiasis among HIV-infected patients with diarrhea in southern India.

We investigated 245 diarrheal stool specimens from HIV-positive subjects between January 2003 and December 2006 to determine the etiological role of coproparasites. Parasitic etiology was observed in 91 (37.1%) cases.

Neurocognitive consequences of HIV in southern India: a preliminary study of clade C virus.

The neurocognitive impact of the clade C viral strain of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has not been determined. The purpose of this study was to examine neurocognitive function in southern India among individuals with the clade C virus with advanced HIV. A battery of cognitive tasks sensitive to the effects of HIV on brain function was translated and administered in Tamil and Telegu, two widely spoken languages in southern India.

Dermatologic manifestations among human immunodeficiency virus patients in south India.

Background: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may be associated with a large number of dermatologic manifestations, which may at times constitute the presenting symptoms. These skin lesions are well delineated in the Western literature, but there is a paucity of information from the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. Objective We evaluated 833 persons with HIV to determine the types of dermatologic lesions present.