Open AccessPrimary HIV-1 Subtype C Infection in Ethiopia
Author(s) -
Tobias F. Rinke de Wit,
Aster Tsegaye,
Dawit Wolday,
Binyam Hailu,
Mathias Aklilu,
Eduard J. Sanders,
Measho Hagos,
Aletta Kliphuis,
Georgios Pollakis,
Anneke Krol,
Ronald B. Geskus,
Frank Miedema,
Jaap Goudsmit,
Roel A. Coutinho,
Arnaud Fontanet
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.162
H-Index - 157
eISSN - 1944-7884
pISSN - 1525-4135
DOI - 10.1097/00126334-200208150-00001
Subject(s) - seroconversion , medicine , seroprevalence , window period , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , incidence (geometry) , sida , cluster (spacecraft) , virology , viral load , viral disease , cohort , demography , immunology , antibody , serology , physics , sociology , computer science , optics , programming language
Between 1997 and 2001, 1624 Ethiopian factory workers were enrolled in prospective HIV-1 cohorts in Ethiopia, at Akaki and Wonji towns. HIV-1 seroprevalence at intake was 11.8% (Akaki) and 7.1% (Wonji). HIV-1 incidence was .75 per 100 person-years (Akaki) and .35 per 100 person-years (Wonji). During follow up, CD4 T-cell counts remained significantly lower and CD8 T-cell counts significantly higher in Ethiopian seroconverters compared with Dutch seroconverters. Viral loads were lower in Ethiopian seroconverters versus Dutch seroconverters in the first months after seroconversion, subsequently increasing to similar levels. All 20 Ethiopian seroconverters were infected with HIV-1 subtype C (15 with sub-cluster C' and 5 with sub-cluster C). Viral loads were higher in sub-cluster C'-infected Ethiopian seroconverters. One subject demonstrated a window period of at least 204 days, combined with a high preseroconversion viral load and no decline of CD4 T cells over a follow-up period of at least 3 years.