OBJECTIVE To evaluate the accuracy of the PIMA point-of-care CD4 analyzer (PIMA) under field conditions in comparison to the current CD4 count system (FACSCalibur), and to evaluate the operational suitability and acceptability of health professionals (HP) and HIV-patients in using the PIMA in health clinics in the Amazon Region. METHODS CD4 counts were measured onsite by the PIMA using finger...

Schistosoma (S.) haematobium causes urogenital schistosomiasis and has been hypothesized to adversely impact HIV transmission and progression. On the other hand it has been hypothesized that HIV could influence the manifestations of schistosomiasis. In this cross-sectional study, we explored the association between urogenital S. haematobium infection and CD4 cell counts in 792 female high-schoo...

BACKGROUND Syphilitic ulcers are known to facilitate the transmission of HIV infection, but the effect of syphilis infection on HIV viral loads and CD4 cell counts is poorly understood. METHODS We abstracted medical records for HIV-infected male syphilis patients seen at three clinics in San Francisco and Los Angeles from January 2001 to April 2003. We compared plasma HIV-RNA levels and CD4 c...

CONTEXT Current recommendations for initiation of antiretroviral therapy in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) are based on CD4 T-lymphocyte cell counts and plasma HIV RNA levels. The relative prognostic value of each marker following initiation of therapy has not been fully characterized. OBJECTIVE To describe rates of disease progression to death and AIDS or de...

BACKGROUND HIV-2 infection is characterized by low plasma viraemia and slower progression to AIDS in comparison with HIV-1 infection. However, antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV-2 is less effective and often fails to provide optimal CD4 recovery. METHODS We examined viral tropism in persons with HIV-2 infection enrolled in the HIV-2 Spanish cohort. Viral tropism was estimated based o...

The association of different CD4(+) cell counts with the same disease risk in treated and untreated populations reflects the effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Clinical progression of disease following initiation of HAART was determined for 679 HIV-infected men in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study by means of Kaplan-...

OBJECTIVE HIV-infected individuals are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Whether earlier initiation of HIV therapy at higher CD4 cell counts has any effect on cardiovascular risk as assessed by endothelial function is unknown. DESIGN Cross-sectional study of 74 antiretroviral-treated men with undetectable plasma HIV RNA levels. METHODS Participants underwent noninvasive ass...

OBJECTIVES To analyse the role of thymic function and its association with cellular immunosenescence markers in patients with low-level CD4 T cell repopulation, despite complete HIV RNA replication control on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS Cellular immunosenescence markers comparing patients with CD4 T cell counts or=48 weeks (n = 11) and patien...